The Effects of Cross & Self-Fertilisation in the Vegetable KingdomDarwin, Charles
Science
The Effects of Cross & Self-Fertilisation in the Vegetable Kingdom
Darwin, Charles
Fertilization of plants; Plants -- Variation; Pollination
Being much surprised at the two foregoing trials, I determined to make
another, in which there should be no doubt about the crossing. I
therefore fertilised with great care (but as usual without castration)
twenty-four flowers on the supposed crossed plants of the last
generation with pollen from distinct plants, and thus obtained
twenty-one capsules. The self-fertilised plants of the last generation
were allowed to fertilise themselves again under a net, and the
seedlings reared from these seeds formed the third self-fertilised
generation. Both lots of seeds, after germinating on bare sand, were
planted in pairs on the opposite sides of two pots. All the remaining
seeds were sown crowded on opposite sides of a third pot; but as all the
self-fertilised seedlings in this latter pot died before they grew to
any considerable height, they were not measured. The plants in Pots 1
and 2 were measured when between 7 and 8 inches in height, and the
crossed exceeded the self-fertilised in average height by 1.57 inches.
When fully grown they were again measured to the summits of their
flower-heads, with the following result:--
TABLE 4/31. Iberis umbellata.
Heights of plants to the summits of their flower-heads, in inches.
Column 1: Number (Name) of Pot.
Column 2: Crossed Plants.
Column 3: Self-fertilised Plants of the Third Generation.
Pot 1 : 18 : 19.
Pot 1 : 21 : 21.
Pot 1 : 18 2/8 : 19 4/8.
Pot 2 : 19 : 16 6/8.
Pot 2 : 18 4/8 : 7 4/8.
Pot 2 : 17 6/8 : 14 4/8.
Pot 2 : 21 3/8 : 16 4/8.
Total : 133.88 : 114.75.
The average height of the seven crossed plants is here 19.12 inches, and
that of the seven self-fertilised plants 16.39, or as 100 to 86. But as
the plants on the self-fertilised side grew very unequally, this ratio
cannot be fully trusted, and is probably too high. In both pots a
crossed plant flowered before any one of the self-fertilised. These
plants were left uncovered in the greenhouse; but from being too much
crowded they were not very productive. The seeds from all seven plants
of both lots were counted; the crossed produced 206, and the
self-fertilised 154; or as 100 to 75.
CROSS BY A FRESH STOCK.
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