New-York tribune., 1903-05-31

Before the naturalist can estimate variation
accurately, he must make measurements Of a
large number Of specimens and take the average
for his type. While thus engaged, he is apt to
stumble upon an embarrassing fact In what
seems to be a single species he viii discover
TWO standards for some particular feature Ike
The number of petals III d flower DE NrleS
sowed the mixed seed of d certain chrysahlhe-
mum from twenty gardens. The number Of ray
fiorets in the healthy product ranged all the
way from twelve to twenty-five, but there was
i marked preponderance OF plants with thirteen
and twenty-one. Selecting seed fror. My those
plants having twelve and thirteen horets, ne
made another experiment next year. Out
Of 1G2 specimens ninety-four had thirteen flor
cts. twenty-five had fourteen, thirteen hdu
twelve and the other degrees Of abundance of
fiorets were represented by between one ana
seven individuals or none at ali. Hence, ne CON
cluded that al first he had the product Of two
species crossed. but had succeeded N eHmiha'-
ing the one having twenty-one fiorets, ana III
nearly purifying the other stock.
The question arises whether the divergence
into two varieties or species, which IS here IL
Illustrated. occurs abruptly or by degrees. Bate
son and other authorities take the former view.
They believe that some OF the freaks or sports
which are constantly arising are prepetua'ec
DIR Vernon thinks that the separation IS graz
nal Most Of the evidence offered by batesoh
relates 10 such abnormal manifestations as an
av,ra digit in an animal The oxford biologist
shows though that these are cases OF repetition
o- -isr,1acenlent of existing structures, and not
tho aY,f,-arance of new organs. Besides, they
are exceedingly rare, occurring" he says, per
hans moi once in 100000 cases, or once IN a
million" To back up views like Bateson $ De
y-,iap cultivated over q hundred species OF
,1av,+s b1,t obtained marked and sudden changes
=, only one > urinrose. As the origin Of TINS
,lan+ had not been ascertained, II is poSSlble
that II might have been a hybrid, and thu7
s1,hiecr 10 the well known experience OF re
version to an ancestral form. His evidence was
practically worthless, therefore.
MOI tn- least interesting discovery IN c"hi'ee-
tior with variability Is that II occurs SIHlUi
+aneously in two or three traits or features "'
once For instance. Cation has shown '"'l'
there l. seemingly fixed ratio between liie
cufit or distance from elbow to tip OF the illu
die fnge- and height in man. This IS th'r'S-
seven 10 one hundred. That fact alone Is Ho'
rarlarIzabIe Other parallels are strange II"
I-i~riria All hogs except black ones Su4iel II Oi-
.'.-+r., th.. root Of q plant called Lachnanthes
tinctorIa."
mon no fbase Of this subject has hotter con-
-royersv arisen than the direct cause 'l E''''''
-,.,r ,vejsnlann excludes the possibility ol
Transmitting newly acquired TRAITS. ""l-A az
themselves The product of changed enN lroIlnai''
IEe narroWs this matter down To TWO lIi11'''. -
5,,,,,,sIfties in the nutrition OF gerninal matter
and the fact that there are often TWO pai ems
j,,s,4,d Of one. Dr. Vernon has himself con
ducted some experiments which indic"'s ia
rna FIRST Of these factors really does play some