CTECUMSTANCES FAVOUKABLE TO SELECTION. 47 



be so highly valued by man, that the closest attention 

 is paid to even the slightest deviations in its qualities 

 or structure. Unless such attention be paid nothing 

 can be effected. I have seen it gravely remarked, that 

 it was most fortunate that the strawberry began to 

 vary just when gardeners began to attend to this plant. 

 Xo doubt the strawberry had always varied since it was 

 cultivated, but the slight varieties had been neglected. 

 As soon, however, as gardeners picked out individual 

 plants with slightly larger, earlier, or better fruit, and 

 raised seedlings from them, and again picked out the 

 best seedlings and bred from them, then (with some aid 

 by crossing distinct species) those many admirable 

 varieties of the strawberry were raised which have 

 appeared during the last half-century. 



With animals, facility in preventing crosses is an 

 important element in the formation of new races, — at 

 least, in a country which is already stocked with other 

 races. In this respect enclosure of the land plays a 

 part. Wandering savages or the inhabitants of open 

 plains rarely possess more than one breed of the same 

 species. Pigeons can be mated for life, and this is a 

 great convenience to the fancier, for thus many races 

 may be improved and kept true, though mingled in the 

 same aviary ; and this circumstance must have largely 

 favoured the formation of new breeds. Pigeons, I may 

 add, can be propagated in great numbers and at a very 

 quick rate, and inferior birds may be freely rejected, as 

 when killed they serve for food. On the other hand, 

 cats, from their nocturnal rambling habits, cannot be 

 easily matched, and, although so much valued by 

 women and children, we rarely see a distinct breed 

 long kept up ; such breeds as we do sometimes see are 

 4 



