>> The plants will soon be modified by the locals.   
   >   
   >Random mutations are no longer random?   
   >   
   >Plants aren't obvious the way livestock is. After all, the livestock   
   >are just boinking each other, the way people do. So there's an   
   >obvious connection here -- "If these two bang they'll have   
   >offspring. If these two don't bang then they won't."   
   >   
   >Selective breeding is obvious.   
   >   
   >That's not necessarily the case with plants.   
      
   The classic example is wild grain in the middle east.  The wild varieties   
   of wheat and other grains were gathered by hand.   
      
   The wild variets had a brittle bit that held the individual grain in the   
   head of the plant.  A Simple movement of wind etc. would cause that brittle   
   bit to break and insure the grain was spread.   
      
   Humans gathering by hand got the most break resistant grains which in time   
   were planted on purpose.  That selection increased so that in time only   
   break resistant varieties remained.   
      
      
   To a large degree, the humans were not aware of the selection of which they   
   were a part.   
      
   Domesticated sheep and goatss etc. in the same area were also a product of   
   this process of humans not being aware of what selection was at hand.  The   
   hair/fur   
   ratios of wild animals toward hair for making cloth was changed this way as   
   well as desired behaviors.   
   Only after agriculture was well underway did breeding on purpose for a desired   
   result   
   begin.   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)