“Certainly,” was the objector’s reply. “How do you suggest that this improvement may be accomplished?” “I believe in ideal environment.” “So do I; but, I also believe in the agencies of ideal heredity and the grace of God.” “I don’t know anything about your last agency and I do not believe in your first; but I do believe in ideal environment.” “Do you understand farming?” “I am a farmer.” “Very good; suppose you have a field you wish to plant in corn. You have access to two cribs. One is filled with nubbins; the other with large, shapely, well-matured ears of corn. From which of the two cribs would you select your seed corn?” “I would select from the one containing the better corn.” “But, you have just stated that you do not believe in heredity.” “Now, Professor, you are talking about corn.” “Yes, I am telling you how to improve corn by the intelligent control of heredity. Suppose you have no stock, but you wish to begin raising stock. Your father has some scrub stock and some pedigreed stock. He is willing for you to select your breeding stock without cost. From which of the two grades would you select?” “I would certainly select from the pedigreed class.” “But you have informed me that you do not believe in heredity.” “Now you are talking about hogs, cattle and horses.” “Yes, I am trying to explain to you that in the improvement of our domestic animals we are wise enough to use the agency of heredity. Suppose you had a daughter of marriageable age and she is entertaining a marriage proposition from each of two [Illustration: A WILD ROSE.--Nature Gave us This.] [Illustration: AMERICAN BEAUTY ROSE.--Good Heredity and Environment Produced This.] young men. She comes to you for your fatherly advice and counsel. You know the records of the two young men. One is rich and rotten, the son of a corrupt politician. The other young man has good parents, a clean record, all the physical, mental and moral qualities of a real man, but he is poor. Nine times out of ten you would advise your daughter to take the fellow that is rich and rotten. You have good corn sense, good hog sense, good cow sense and good horse sense; but you have mighty poor son-in-law sense.” When my audience ceased applauding, I held a book up before them and allowed it to represent a ten-acre field to be planted in corn. I assumed that all parts of the field were to have the same quality and richness of soil, uniform rain-fall and sunshine, and the corn to receive uniform cultivation. In this event the corn in all parts of the field would have the same environment. Then I said to my audience, “If there is nothing in heredity and you plant one-half of this field in corn selected from nubbins and the other in corn selected from large, shapely, full matured ears, the side of the field planted in nubbins will produce as fine corn as the other side.”