94 Mendel's Experiments 



experiments for fertilisation there agreed, as the following 

 year's culture showed, with the pollen parent: 



1st Experiment. 2nd Experiment. 



2 plants in all characters 



3 ,, j) 4 ,, 



2 plants 3 



2 5, 1) 2 



1 plant ,, 1 character 



In the first experiment, therefore, the transformation 

 was completed; in the second, which was not continued 

 further, two more fertilisations would probably have been 

 required. 



Although the case may not frequently occur that the 

 dominant characters belong exclusively to one or the other 

 of the original parent plants, it will always make a difference 

 which of the two possesses the majority. If the pollen parent 

 shows the majority, then the selection of forms for further 

 crossing will afford a less degree of security than in the 

 reverse case, which must imply a delay in the period of 

 transformation, provided that the experiment is only 

 considered as completed when a form is arrived at which 

 not only exactly resembles the pollen plant in form, but 

 also remains as constant in its progeny. 



Gartner, by the results of these transformation experi- 

 ments, was led to oppose the opinion of those naturalists 

 who dispute the stability of plant species and believe in a 

 continuous evolution of vegetation. He perceives in the 

 complete transformation of one species into another an 

 indubitable proof that species are fixed within limits 

 beyond which they cannot change. Although this opinion 

 cannot be unconditionally accepted we find on the other 

 hand in Gartner's experiments a noteworthy confirmation 



