Abstract
THE modern science of genetics has acquired an enormous extension. As Prof. McDougall has said, it has swept over North America like a whirlwind. Everywhere chairs in genetics have been established, nay more, in some places special chairs in 'Drosophily' devoted to the exclusive study of this type-animal. Its votaries claim that in this science are to be found the solution not only of all the questions of the origin, propagation and improvement of our domesticated animals and cultivated plants, but also of the origin of species and evolution. Nevertheless, as time went on, the fair prospects of the science darkened. The hope of getting an unlimited number of new and valuable varieties was disappointed. As one of the professors of this science has ruefully expressed it, "The qualities that mendelize are not those which are of any value to farmers and those which farmers value do not mendelize.“Anyone who reads, as I do, the minutes of the Agricultural Research Council, which contain an account of all the agricultural experiments seeking Government aid which are being carried out in Great Britain, must be struck with the fact that Mendelism is scarcely ever mentioned.
Article PDF
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
MacBride, E. Mendel, Morgan and Genetics. Nature 140, 348–350 (1937). https://doi.org/10.1038/140348a0
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/140348a0