92 PLANT HYBRIDIZATION BEFORE MENDEL 



of the male parent predominated in the exterior parts of both 

 plants and animals," Knight undertook some experiments with 

 the different species of fruit trees, but most extensively with the 

 apple. He makes the general statement: 



"I have observed that seedling plants, when propagated from male and 

 female parents of distinct characters and permanent habits, generally, 

 though with some few exceptions, mherit much more of the character of 

 the female, than of the male parent." (p. 393.) 



Without commenting upon this generalization, the experiments 

 themselves may be briefly noticed. Crosses were made between 

 the British and the Siberian crab-apple, which as, he says, 



". . . however dissimilar in habit and character, appear to constitute a 

 single species only, in which much variation has been effected by the in- 

 fluence of climate on successive generations." (p. 395.) 



Knight reports a reciprocal cross between apple and Siberian 

 crab. Both trees were trained to walls, where they blossomed 

 earlier than ordinarily. All the flowers on the two trees except 

 those used were removed and the stamens carefully removed from 

 the remaining ones. Of the plants produced by cross-pollination. 

 Knight says : 



"There was a very considerable degree of dissimilarity in the appear- 

 ance of the offspring; and the leaves, and general habits of each, pre- 

 sented an obvious prevalence of the character of the female parent." 



(P- 393-) 



Where the British crab-apple was used as the female parent, 



the buds did not unfold quite so early in the spring, and their 



fruits generally exceeded very considerably in size those which 



were produced by the trees which derived their existence from 



the seeds of the Siberian crab. 



"There was also a prevalence of the character of the female parent 

 in the form of the fruit." (3c, p. 394.) 



The greater portion of the article is taken up with a discussion 

 of similar cases in animal breeding. One observation is not with- 

 out interest. 



"In several species of domesticated or cultivated animals (I believe in 

 all), particular females are found to produce a very large majority, and 

 sometimes all their offspring, of the same sex; and I have proved re- 

 peatedly that, by dividing a herd of thirty cows into three equal parts, 

 I could calculate, with confidence, upon a large majority of females from 

 one part, of males from another, and upon nearly an equal number of 

 males and females from the remainder. I have frequently endeavored to 



