The power of long-continued selection, whether methodical or unconscious, or
both combined, is well shown in a general way, namely, by the comparison of
the differences between the varieties of distinct species, which are valued
for different parts, such as for the leaves, or stems, or tubers, the seed, or
fruit, or flowers. Whatever part man values most, that part will be found to
present the greatest amount of difference. With trees cultivated for their
fruit, Sageret remarks that the fruit is larger than in the parent-species,
whilst with those cultivated for the seed, as with nuts, walnuts, almonds,
chestnuts, etc., it is the seed itself which is larger; and he accounts for
this fact by the fruit in the one case, and by the seed in the other, having
been carefully attended to and selected during many ages. Gallesio has made
the same observation. Godron insists on the diversity of the tuber in the
potato, of the bulb in the onion, and of the fruit in the melon; and on the
close similarity of the other parts in these same plants. (20/88. Sagaret
'Pomologie Physiologique' 1830 page 47; Gallesio 'Teoria della Riproduzione'
1816 page 88; Godron 'De l'Espece' 1859 tome 2 pages 63, 67, 70. In my tenth
and eleventh chapters I have given details on the potato; and I can confirm
similar remarks with respect to the onion. I have also shown how far Naudin
concurs in regard to the varieties of the melon.)
In order to judge how far my own impression on this subject was correct, I
cultivated numerous varieties of the same species close to one another. The
comparison of the amount of difference between widely different organs is
necessarily vague; I will therefore give the results in only a few cases. We
have previously seen in the ninth chapter how greatly the varieties of the
cabbage differ in their foliage and stems, which are the selected parts, and
how closely they resemble one another in their flowers, capsules, and seeds.
In seven varieties of the radish, the roots differed greatly in colour and
shape, but no difference whatever could be detected in their foliage, flowers,
or seeds. Now what a contrast is presented, if we compare the flowers of the
varieties of these two plants with those of any species cultivated in our
flower-gardens for ornament; or if we compare their seeds with those of the
varieties of maize, peas, beans, etc., which are valued and cultivated for
their seeds. In the ninth chapter it was shown that the varieties of the pea
differ but little except in the tallness of the plant, moderately in the shape
of the pod, and greatly in the pea itself, and these are all selected points.
The varieties, however, of the Pois sans parchemin differ much more in their
pods, and these are eaten and valued. I cultivated twelve varieties of the
common bean; one alone, the Dwarf Fan, differed considerably in general
appearance; two differed in the colour of their flowers, one being an albino,
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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