Effects of Cross and Self Fertilisation in the Vegetable Kingdom eBook

This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 516 pages of information about Effects of Cross and Self Fertilisation in the Vegetable Kingdom.

Effects of Cross and Self Fertilisation in the Vegetable Kingdom eBook

This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 516 pages of information about Effects of Cross and Self Fertilisation in the Vegetable Kingdom.

Four-plants derived from a cross between individuals of the same variety were in height to four self-fertilised plants belonging to the same variety as 100 to 115.  Although this cross did no good, we have seen under Table 7/C that a cross between distinct varieties adds greatly to the height and vigour of the offspring; and it was there explained that the fact of a cross between the individuals of the same variety not being beneficial, is almost certainly due to their having been self-fertilised for many generations, and in each generation grown under nearly similar conditions.

20, 21, 22.  Canna warscewiczi.

Plants belonging to three generations were observed, and in all of three the crossed were approximately equal to the self-fertilised; the average height of the thirty-four crossed plants being to that of the same number of self-fertilised plants as 100 to 101.  Therefore the crossed plants had no advantage over the self-fertilised; and it is probable that the same explanation here holds good as in the case of Pisum sativum; for the flowers of this Canna are perfectly self-fertile, and were never seen to be visited by insects in the hothouse, so as to be crossed by them.  This plant, moreover, has been cultivated under glass for several generations in pots, and therefore under nearly uniform conditions.  The capsules produced by the cross-fertilised flowers on the above thirty-four crossed plants contained more seeds than did the capsules produced by the self-fertilised flowers on the self-fertilised plants, in the proportion of 100 to 85; so that in this respect crossing was beneficial.

23.  Primula sinensis.

The offspring of plants, some of which were legitimately and others illegitimately fertilised with pollen from a distinct plant, were almost exactly of the same height as the offspring of self-fertilised plants; but the former with rare exceptions flowered before the latter.  I have shown in my paper on dimorphic plants that this species is commonly raised in England from self-fertilised seed, and the plants from having been cultivated in pots have been subjected to nearly uniform conditions.  Moreover, many of them are now varying and changing their character, so as to become in a greater or less degree equal-styled, and in consequence highly self-fertile.  Therefore I believe that the cause of the crossed plants not exceeding in height the self-fertilised is the same as in the two previous cases of Pisum sativum and Canna.

24, 25, 26.  Nicotiana tabacum.

Four sets of measurements were made; in one, the self-fertilised plants greatly exceeded in height the crossed, in two others they were approximately equal to the crossed, and in the fourth were beaten by them; but this latter case does not here concern us.  The individual plants differ in constitution, so that the descendants of some profit by their parents having been intercrossed, whilst others do not.  Taking all three generations

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Effects of Cross and Self Fertilisation in the Vegetable Kingdom from Project Gutenberg. Public domain.