The Parker post., 1914-09-19
Copyright. 1914, by A. S. Gray)
HEREDITY.

ity, Its Wastes and Conservation"
says: Human vitality depends upon
two primary conditions: heredity and
hygiene, or conditions during life"
And Metchnikoff points out that part
, of the supposed Inheritance Of longev-
ity may not be inheritance, but simil-
arity of environment.
Natures movements are on so vast
scale and contain so many complex
and never to be understood forces,
that balance and counteract each 9TH
er, that it now seems incredible that
the Torld for so long should have ac-
cepted the authority of the past in a
matter as vital to human happiness as
the old idea of heredity. Fortunately
we have finally evolved into the un.
derstanding that the final court of ap-
peal Is observation and experiment,
and not authority, however eminent
It may have been in it's day and gener.
alton. The old axiom, Like produces
like" is now known to be incorrect.
No two things can be produced ex-
actly alike, and we know that ability
to change is the evidence Of life.
A farmer selects as a fine ear of
seed corn one in which each kernel
conforms in general type to a desirable
ancestor, and from this ear he takes
the seed for new crop. Three factors
enter into the results from the plant
ing of this seed-heredity, climate,
SOIL Granting the first two factors to
hn f6no1 thnrn q fQn 0InnnnfQ
quired in the soil to produce a de-
velopment equal in type and vitality to
the parent seed. Oxygen, hydrogen.
nitrogen, carbon, phosphorus, calcium,
sulphur, potassium, iron and magnesi.
um are the necessary elements, and
the absence of one of these ten chem
icals in necessary amount will de-
termine whether there shall be par
tial or even a total crop failure. Corn
can be fed and bred up or starved and
run down. One community will aver.
age ten bushels per acre and another
will average 100 bushels per acre. By
the intelligent adjustment Of all the
factors, 239 bushels per acre have been
produced.
The same principles and factors ap
ply to the animal kingdom, including
man. Heredity determines the type,
but environment governs what the in.
dividual shall be. In common with
the corn Of the field and with all other
forms of life mankind reacts to the
universal laws of change and modif1ca
ton; and this is the hope of humanity.
There being no spontaneous genera
ton of the human species, it follows
that all are Of equally ancient lineage
and investigation will show only lit.
tie way back material taint in the
line Of the best, judged by present day
standards. This is proof that in all
life there is an inherent tendency to
adapt and advance.
The fundamental problem of man Is
to stay here on earth-"We don't
know where we are going, but we're
on the way" and we might as well be
comfortable about it. An intelligent
application of the laws Of heredity as
laid down by Mendel, coupled with
rational adjustment of the individual
to environment, could make new
race in two generations. We may be
ascendent or decadent just as we see
fit.
Type is a matter of heredity and
counts for about 5 per cent Of the in
dividual- environment covers the re-
naming 95 per cent. A phono-
graph record disk may be large
Or small, depending on the type OF
mold selected to make it. It's ca
pacity is determined by the mold, but
whether it shall receive and give out
a meaningless jangle OF d1scord,
masterpiece of harmony, or a soul
stirring call to human achievement, de-
pends on the impression received after
it's creation. Whether it be used with
intelligent purpose or marred, cracked
and scratched by Indifferent handling
depends on unknown factors. And
man, too, is the product of the sum
of the impressions received in his e0
perience.
Like the corn plant, man too Is the
product Of three factors covered by
the term anthropological. telluric, So
cial, and granting the first two to be
ideal, the third involves a complex
mass easily accounting for most
break-downs. The human body Is made
up Of IA elements-oxygen, hydrogen
carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus, calcium
sulphur, chlorine, sodium, iron, potas
SUM, magnesium, silica and ffuorine,
and to attain perfect development
must be supplied with all these ele
ments in suitable quantity.
The now prevailing standard Of food
values which measures the heat units
produced from food and completely
ignores all other elements and factors,
is not only woefully inadequate in the
light of modern science, but constt
tutes a grave menace to the health, to
the morals, to the sanity, and to the
life Of any people.
Few people are so disagreeable that
they can't keen on good terms with