342 . REV. GEORGE HENSLOW ON THE. 
* 
to be superior to the intererossed plants in évery way, and, moreover, was not benefited l | 
by a cross with a new stock, one is led to infer that others of these numerous indi — 
viduals of the self-fertilized plants which beat their rivals might, on selection and cul — 
tivation, have proved equally as vigorous as “ Hero." It is not only when large 1 
numbers of pairs of plants are cultivated that some one or more of the self-fertilized 1 
individuals were superior to their rivals, but even when very few pairs were grown. 1 
Thus, of 2 pairs of Passiflora gracilis, 1 self-fertilized plant was the taller. Of 4 pairs | 
of Borago officinalis, 2 such were taller. Of 5 pairs of Nolana prostrata, 4 such were ^ 
taller. Of 7 pairs of Pelargonium, 8 self-fertilized were also the taller ; and many other q 
cases might be mentioned. 
Yet another important inference may be drawn from such a case as Lobelia felgen 1 
Of this plant there were 12 pairs in 3 pots, all the self-fertilized of which were superior; — 
and of 18 pairs in 5 pots, all the intercrossed were superior. Supposing Mr. Darwin had ~ 
only cultivated the first 3 pots, he would have inferred that intercrossing was injurious; 7 
and had he cultivated only the last, he would not have known that self-fertilized plants 1 | 
could ever beat their rivals. Now, of about thirty-five cases he has not cultivated more 1 
than 12 pairs of plants, and in only about ¢welve cases has he cultivated more than ` 
12 pairs of plants according to the tables. Hence, while recognizing the value of inter- ` 
crossing generally in imparting height to the offspring, such a case as Lobelia fulgens 1 
throws a certain amount of doubt over these thirty-five in respect to thé proportional 1 
number of successful self-fertilized plants that would have arisen had "A numbers | 
of pairs been grown. q 
. Lastly, from the first table of Nemophila insignis, containing 12 pairs, we learn that 1 
crossing does great good, as not 4 single individual of the self-fertilized beat its rival, 
the ratio being as 100 : 60; but when certain of these pairs of plants were placed under 
a net, and all allowed to fertilize themselves spontaneously, we find that in 6 out of 
7 pairs, the self-fertilized offspring of two generations beat their crossed plants self- 
fertilized on the second generation. Mr. Darwin does not think the averages deduced 
from their heights trustworthy ; but as both kinds appear to have been equally cir- 
cumstanced, the heights alone may probably be so. 
DE Re 
6. Inconspicuous flowers are almost invariably self-fertilizing, or else anemophilous. 
. . In chap. x. of his work on Cross and Self-fertilisation, Mr. Darwin has written 
section on inconspicuous flowers, and makes the following statement on p. 382 :— 
“There can hardly be a doubt that dichogamy .... —the heterostyled condition of certain plants, 
and that many mechanical structures—haye all been acquired so as both to check self-fertilisation. sitig 
favour eross-fertilisation.” | 
It does not seem quite clear whether Mr. Darwin would mean by “so as to” ' to 
signify a purpose or a consequence. 'To my mind it would be the latter; and the fol- 
lowing sentence strengthens this view :— 
"It might perhaps have been expected that plants having their flowers thus peculiarly constructed 
: would profit in Se ge acinis cdm 
wem WI bue FUSCO UU ER em Ray OR QUIE 
