AEE FLUCTUATIONS INHERITED? 1 



DR. HARRY H. LOVE 

 Cornell University 



The object of this paper is to present certain facts in 

 regard to the inheritance of fluctuations which have been 

 obtained from a study of the common garden pea {Pisum 

 sativum). While an experiment was being conducted 

 to study the effect of fertility upon the fluctuating varia- 

 bility of certain characters, data were also obtained to 

 show to what extent these fluctuating characters are 

 inherited. The peas used were a mixed population and 

 not a pure line, and had not been selected for any partic- 

 u 1 a r character when the experiment was started. 



The belief has long been held that the improvement 

 of animals or plants could be obtained by selecting from 

 the best individuals, or those possessing to the greatest 

 degree the quality desired. 



The fact is that at present most of our agricultural 

 breeding and improvement is based upon this belief and 

 this is the method which is most generally followed in 

 practical breeding. This view held sway from the time 

 of the earliest breeders until the appearance of the Muta- 

 tion Theory by DeVries. It was first stated scientifically 

 by Darwin in his 1 ' Origin of Species, ' ' for Darwin, after 

 a study of the evidence accumulated, was convinced that 

 the improved breeds had been obtained in this manner. 

 He says: 



We can not suppose that all the breeds were suddenly produced as 

 perfect and as useful as we now see them; indeed, in many cases we 



'"Origin* of Species," Chapter 1. p. 35, Murray Edition. 



412 



