132 
Finger and Toe in Root Crops. 
either of soils or crops, should have done nothing towards its 
elucidation.* 
2nd. Notes on the Natural History of Root Crops in cultivation. 
— In considering my second position, ramely, the confirmation 
of my theory of the cause of finger-and-toe from observed facts 
in reference to cultivated crops, it will be well to state that, 
having as I thought become experimentally acquainted with the 
nature and cause of the distortion during the progress of growth 
of wild plants, I set to work diligently to inquire into the cir- 
cumstances of the mischief as it affects cultivated crops, and both 
from observation and inquiry I arrived at the following general 
conclusions, which I shall state and comment upon seriatim. 
Finger-and-toe ivill always be found to a greater or less extent 
in every field of roots, whether of parsnips., carrots, or turnips. — 
Now, if we consider that these, as crops, are at all times deriva- 
tive — that is, that they are altered states of original wild ex- 
amples from which they sprang — and that the change from the 
wild state produces not only one form but several, which we 
term varieties, and that these sorts are only to be maintained by 
a rigid adherence to the circumstances which produced them, we 
must ever expect a tendency to some change ; so that, though 
the mass may be maintained in tolerable purity, others will show 
a disposition to revert to the position from which they sprang, as 
varieties cart never be absolutely permanent. In this case, tlien, 
finger-and-toe marks degeneracy. 
Finger-and-toe will always prevail ichere the croj) is derived 
from seed brought from a rich to a poor soil. — Cultivation of roots 
presupposes that manure has been employed, the result of which 
is to cause a great increase in cellular tissue or succulency ; 
hence then, as rich soil is an element in advance, so poverty of 
land is equally a reason for retrogression ; it is, then, no wonder 
that, as a general rule, there should be found more malformed 
roots in a poor than in a rich soil. 
The deformity is likely to result ivJiere seed lias been grown in the 
district in which it is sown for the crop. — In cultivating wild spe- 
cimens our experiments showed clearly that constant growth, 
under the same circumstances of seed and place, tends to dege- 
neracy ; and this is a matter fully proved by the experience of 
every one with every kind of crop : hence few venture to repeat 
the sowing of their own seed-corn to any considerable extent. 
On this subject a case has come before my own observation 
during the last two years, which may not be without interest in 
<nir present inquiry. A poor man in my own district cultivated 
a ])atch of white globe turnips for seed, and in the summer of 
* In confirmation of this see a papa." in the Transactions of the Highland and 
Agricultural Society of Scotland for October, 1853. 
