33 grain weight of seeds. Thirty flowers on the
self-fertilised plants were again self-fertilised and produced
twenty-six capsules; ten of the best of which (many being very poor)
contained only .87 grain weight of seeds; that is, in the ratio of 100
to 65 by weight.
The superiority of the crossed over the self-fertilised plants was
proved in various ways. Self-fertilised seeds were sown on one side of a
pot, and two days afterwards crossed seeds on the opposite side. The two
lots of seedlings were equal until they were above half an inch high;
but when fully grown the two tallest crossed plants attained a height of
12 1/2 and 8 3/4 inches, whilst the two tallest self-fertilised plants
were only 8 and 5 1/2 inches high.
In a third pot, crossed seeds were sown four days after the
self-fertilised, and the seedlings from the latter had at first, as
might have been expected, an advantage; but when the two lots were
between 5 and 6 inches in height, they were equal, and ultimately the
three tallest crossed plants were 11, 10, and 8 inches, whilst the three
tallest self-fertilised were 12, 8 1/2, and 7 1/2 inches in height. So
that there was not much difference between them, the crossed plants
having an average advantage of only the third of an inch. The plants
were cut down, and without being disturbed were transplanted into a
larger pot. Thus the two lots started fair on the following spring, and
now the crossed plants showed their inherent superiority, for the two
tallest were 13 inches, whilst the two tallest self-fertilised plants
were only 11 and 8 1/2 inches in height; or as 100 to 75.
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