The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1907-12-22
THIRD SECTION.
NEW LIGHT ON HEREDITY
IMPORTANT DTSCOVEREES soon
TO BE ANNOUNCED.

sd ae sWedens late k~bng-First
Illuminated syngfIanS Two Autograph
Letters ny urns--CindereIIs's Empire.
LONDON. Dec. lit is claimed for tho
School Of Agricultural Science at Cam
bridge that It. has accomplished greater
marvels in recent years than the famous
achievements Of Burbank in California.
A report will soon be issued which il ex-
pected to make a greater sensation in the
world OF science than any other recent
discovery.
The line Of investigation has been he
study OF what il known as Mendell's law
OF heredity, and its application is to he
demonstrated not only in vegetable life
but with regard to animals as weTA The
principle is hes; shown in a simple iIlustra-
Hon.
IL is found that il dwarf peas and tall peas
are crossed the resulting crop the next
year will he all tall peas. The second
years crop. however. will he in exact
proportion ~one-quarter dwarf peas. three
quarters tall peas.
OF these tall peas Just one-quarter will
be pure tall and never again show signs Of
dwarfness. The remaining t~wo-quarteTs
will he impure. but again when crossed
with their like will give pure tails, pure
dwarf and mongrels in due proportion.
So we find in all grandchildren. so TO
speak. of pure strains hat the proportion
1921 has a mystic application-that is.
~One-quarter OF these grandchildren will
be exact or pure reproductions in one
quality OF their grandmother. one-quarter
will be pure reproductions of their grand
father. and two-quarters. though resem-
bling one grandparent. will nave latent in
them the qualities Of both.
Il is affirmed that all qualities transmits
sible by ~heredity in vegetable and animal
life are governed by this Jaw. In regard
to animals, the simplest and best known
case in common experience is perhaps that
Of the blue Andalusian fowl.
II the pure black and speckled white
varieties be mated together, all the chickens
will be blue ~Andalusians. But mate W
OF the blue Andalusians and it always hap
pens that the chickens are OF three sorts
some black. some speckled white, some
OF the composite color known as blue Anda-
lusian; and h most inexplicable fact in this
family picture Of inherited qualities is that
both the blacks and the whites and also
half Of the descendants OF the blues in the
NEXT generation may be called pure bred
shat 10. In certain definite respects no trace
OF the cross will again appear in their prog
Aenx;
appearance. is theoretically much the same
% In the case Of the peas. and proves the
existence Of a deep rooted law that will
Arevofutionize the science OF developing
varieties.
Though the physical secret is obscure. the
course Of this strange behavior in the fowls
Hnd the peas may be considered FOR prac-
tical purposes certain. After vast num-
bers OF experiments. chiefly with plants,
but also with poultry. mice, and other ami
mails. a number OF characteristics-such
as the shape Of the comb In fowls, certain
colors in tho peas, beardiness in wheat,
perhaps eye color in man-have been
marked down as answering TO fixed laws
which We can control.
The Mendell law is OF course by no means
free from complications. and the expert
ments are still in their infancy. Still, the
Cambridge biologists nave turned out a
wheat which combines the strength Of the
Manitoba hard grain with the yield Of the
softer English wheats. IL is maintained
that the value Of the English wheat crop
will be increased by this means TO the extent
Of fully 81 so IN acre. This is only one Of the
practical features OF the investigation which
win shortly be announced.
The problem Of the application OF the
Mendell law to the breeding Of animals and
human beings is much more complicated.
but it is believed that important discoveries
in the breeding OF sheep. cattle and perhaps
horses are already available.
Everything points to a merry Christmas
in all the royal establishments The King
n Queen will spend their holiday season
at S~andringham, according to their custom
for many ear The King is anxious that
his retinue shall enjoy themselves in the
good old way, and the word has been passed
around that UP TO date amusements are TO
be mingled with the traditional merry
making in order that all sorts OF tempera-
ments shall be catered to.
The King, however. has instituted many
sensible reforms in the provisions for holi-
day festivities. One of the chief domestic
economics he has inaugurated Ia putting an
end TO the late Queens custom Of sending
a large plum pudding to every one Of her
posterity. including the Czarina. the Ger
man Emperor and the Crown Prince Of
Rumania.
To this end a regular mountain Of plum
pudding was prepared and cooked in the
royal kitchens at Windsor Castle. This
took days Of work by a full stan and used
up storefuls OF materials.
Now the kitchens at Windsor are prac-
hcaIly shut up during December and the
small permanent staff is put on half wages.
The royal pudding 10 made at Sa~ndringham
for the royal family alone. and the Hinge
messengers no longer 90 speeding all over
Europe with boxes Of English pudding for
distant royalties.
'The boar's head, atraditiOnal royal dish.
10 still cooked and graces the sldeboard
as OF yore, but II Is no longer q genuine wild
boar's head. IL Is the Uranium OF a respec-
table bacon hog fixed up with tusks and
oochineal or the gums to give IL a fierce
Aspect in this its last appearance. II is
quite Hike those shown in clubs and big
restaurants at this season. which bear small
relation TO the rea thing but look just as
imposing and taste just as well.
Tie baron Of beef roasted whole on the
gage jack spit in the roasting kitcnen was