By weight the capsules from the Colchester-crossed
plants were to those from the intercrossed plants as 100 to 51; so that
the former probably contained a somewhat larger average number of
seeds.]
We learn from this important experiment that plants in some degree
related, which had been intercrossed during the nine previous
generations, when they were fertilised with pollen from a fresh stock,
yielded seedlings as superior to the seedlings of the tenth intercrossed
generation, as these latter were to the self-fertilised plants of the
corresponding generation. For if we look to the plants of the ninth
generation in Table 2/10 (and these offer in most respects the fairest
standard of comparison) we find that the intercrossed plants were in
height to the self-fertilised as 100 to 79, and in fertility as 100 to
26; whilst the Colchester-crossed plants are in height to the
intercrossed as 100 to 78, and in fertility as 100 to 51.
[THE DESCENDANTS OF THE SELF-FERTILISED PLANT, NAMED HERO, WHICH
APPEARED IN THE SIXTH SELF-FERTILISED GENERATION.
In the five generations before the sixth, the crossed plant of each pair
was taller than its self-fertilised opponent; but in the sixth
generation (Table 2/7, Pot 2) the Hero appeared, which after a long and
dubious struggle conquered its crossed opponent, though by only half an
inch. I was so much surprised at this fact, that I resolved to ascertain
whether this plant would transmit its powers of growth to its seedlings.
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