They convey the idea of something unexpected, something not always or
not regularly occurring. But even this demarcation is not universal, and
there are processes that are regularly repeated and nevertheless are
called sports. These at least should be designated by another name.
In order to avoid confusion as far as possible, with the least change in
existing terminology, I shall use the term "ever-sporting varieties" for
such forms as are regularly propagated by seed, and of pure and not
hybrid origin, but which sport in nearly every generation. The term is a
new one, but the facts are for the most part new, and require to be
considered in a new light. Its meaning will become clearer at once when
the illustrations afforded by [311] striped flowers are introduced. In
the following discussion it will be found most convenient to give a
summary of what is known concerning them, and follow this by a
consideration of the detailed evidence obtained experimentally, which
supports the usage cited.
The striped variety of the larkspur of our gardens is known to produce
monochromatic flowers, in addition to striped ones. They may be borne by
the same racemes, or on different branches, or some seedlings from the
same parent-plant may bear monochromatic flowers while others may be
striped.
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