HEREDITY.

Manawatu Times, Volume XLVI, Issue 2695, 13 July 1923, Page 3

HEREDITY.

' The importance of Mendel’s work on heredity and his discovery of the simple laws governing the transmission of inherited characteristics in certain plant forms has perhaps not been sufficiently appreciated by the world at large, writes Mr A. C. Mowlc in “Discovery.” Professor Punnett was one of the first to realise the potentialities of these investigations, and by his untiring work over a number of years has proved consluslvcly that the same general laws govern heredity in animal life. Working with poultry, by successive breeding and careful observation, ho has shown that such characters as plumage, colour, broodiness, and egg-production (to mention but a few) arc inherited strictly on Mcndclian lines. It would seem at first sight that research of this typo w-as largely of academic interest; but we are shown by the author how the economic value of the researches is already ecognised by poultry breeders. Bree ing hitherto has been purely empirical. With a knowledge of these laws it is now possible to ensure the preservation ,f breeds of maximum fecundity; and there is a great promise tha,t in time ihe disheartening results of empirical breeding will be altogether avoided. Professor Punnett confines himself modestly to the practical and economic value of his work to he pc-alry indusry. May we point out that the laws governing animal and vegetable life arc also those that apply to our own, the human species?. So many of the diseases and handicaps of the individual depend obviously on inherited constitution; and we should like to look upon this research a,?, part o£ a field of large scope—the study of the laws which given the preservation of the healthiest and most stable qualities of human body and mind.