Fortunately the evening-primroses exhibit contrary tendencies. One of
the great points of pedigree-culture is the fact that the ancestors of
every mutant have been controlled and recorded. Those of the last year
have seven generations of known _lamarckiana_ parents preceding them. If
there had been any visible preparation towards the coming mutation, it
could not have escaped observation. Moreover, if visible preparation
were the rule, it could hardly go on at the same time and in the same
individuals in five or six diverging directions, producing from one
parent, _gigas_ and _nanella_, _lata_ and _rubrinervis_, _oblonga_ and
_albida_ and even _scintillans_.
On the other hand the mutants, that constitute the first representatives
of their race, exhibit all the attributes of the new type in full
display at once. No series of generations, no selection, [559] no
struggle for existence are needed to reach this end. In previous
lectures I have mentioned that I have saved the seeds of the mutants
whenever possible, and have always obtained repetitions of the prototype
only. Reversions are as absolutely lacking as is also a further
development of the new type. Even in the case of the inconstant forms,
where part of the progeny yearly return to the stature of _lamarckiana_,
intermediates are not found.
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