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.
did the seedlings from the fully self-fertile plants.  But my anticipation was quite wrong, for they profited in a less degree.  An analogous result followed in the case of Eschscholtzia, in which the offspring of the plants of Brazilian parentage (which were partially self-sterile) did not profit more from a cross, than did the plants of the far more self-fertile English stock.  The above two lots of crossed and self-fertilised seeds from the same plant of Reseda odorata, after germinating on sand, were planted on opposite sides of five pots, and measured as in the last case, with the result in Table 4/39.

Table 4/39.  Reseda odorata (seedlings from a semi-self-sterile plant).

Heights of plants to the summits of the leafy stems, flower-stems not included, measured in inches.

Column 1:  Number (Name) of Pot.

Column 2:  Crossed Plants.

Column 3:  Self-fertilised Plants.

Pot 1 :  33 4/8 :  31. 
Pot 1 :  30 6/8 :  28. 
Pot 1 :  29 6/8 :  13 2/8. 
Pot 1 :  20 :  32.

Pot 2 :  22 :  21 6/8. 
Pot 2 :  33 4/8 :  26 6/8. 
Pot 2 :  31 2/8 :  25 2/8. 
Pot 2 :  32 4/8 :  30 4/8.

Pot 3 :  30 1/8 :  17 2/8. 
Pot 3 :  32 1/8 :  29 6/8. 
Pot 3 :  31 4/8 :  24 6/8. 
Pot 3 :  32 2/8 :  34 2/8.

Pot 4 :  19 1/8 :  20 6/8. 
Pot 4 :  30 1/8 :  32 6/8. 
Pot 4 :  24 3/8 :  31 4/8. 
Pot 4 :  30 6/8 :  36 6/8.

Pot 5 :  34 6/8 :  24 5/8. 
Pot 5 :  37 1/8 :  34. 
Pot 5 :  31 2/8 :  22 2/8. 
Pot 5 :  33 :  37 1/8.

Total :  599.75 :  554.25.

The average height of the twenty crossed plants is here 29.98, and that of the twenty self-fertilised 27.71 inches; or as 100 to 92.  These plants were then cut down and weighed; and the crossed in this case exceeded the self-fertilised in weight by a mere trifle, namely, in the ratio of 100 to 99.  The two lots, left freely exposed to insects, seemed to be equally fertile.

The remainder of the seed was sown in two adjoining rows in the open ground; and the eight tallest plants in each row were measured, with the result in Table 4/40.

Table 4/40.  Reseda odorata, (seedlings from a semi-self-sterile plant, planted in the open ground).

Heights of plants measured in inches.

Column 1:  Crossed Plants.

Column 2:  Self-fertilised Plants.

28 2/8 :  22 3/8. 22 4/8 :  24 3/8. 25 7/8 :  23 4/8. 25 3/8 :  21 4/8. 29 4/8 :  22 5/8. 27 1/8 :  27 3/8. 22 4/8 :  27 3/8. 26 2/8 :  19 2/8.

Total :  207.38 :  188.38.

The average height of the eight crossed plants is here 25.92, and that of the eight self-fertilised plants 23.54 inches; or as 100 to 90.

9.  Violaceae.—­Viola tricolor.

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