THE SELF-FERTILIZATION OF PLANTS. 339 



the importance of which should not be overlooked, will 

 ensure some differences, but" (the exclusive and con- 

 tinued selection, by man, of those parts only, which he 

 values, in the Plants, be it) "the Leaves, the Flowers, 

 or the Fruit, will produce races differing from each 

 other, chiefly in those characters." 



Again he says (page 509, Vol. ii, Animals and 

 Plants, &c.) : 



"The best proof of what selection has effected, is 

 perhaps afforded by the fact, that whatever part or 

 quality, in any animal, and more especially in any 

 Plant, is most valued by Man, that part or quality 

 differs most, in the several races. This result is well 

 seen, by comparing the amount of difference between 

 the Fruits, produced by the varieties of the same 

 Fruit tree ; between the Flowers of the varieties, in 

 our Flower-gardens ; between the Seeds, Roots, or 

 Leaves of our culinary and agricultural plants, in com- 

 parison with the other, and not valued parts of the 

 same plants." 



Each species, under cultivation, departs from its 

 degenerated type under nature, only in that way which 

 will be serviceable to man. If it should essay the 

 re-development of any other part, than that for which 

 it is valued, it will be destroyed. As Darwin says : 



"With all improved Plants * * they examine 

 the seedlings, and destroy those which depart from the 

 proper type" (p. 242, Vol. ii, Animals and Plants, &c). 



Is it any wonder, then, considering the many charac- 

 ters, which are reduced and suppressed, in each plant, 

 and the false ratio which is established with the charac- 

 ters remaining, which is increased in proportion as the 

 one part valued is pushed out of all proportion, that (as 



