PLANT HYBRIDIZATION BEFORE MENDEL 141 



Regarding the general aspects of plant hybrids, he adds : 



"All their characters, of whatever nature they may be, with the ex- 

 ception of a more considerable development of the organs of vegetation, 

 are in general intermediate between those of the parents, but always 

 limited by them." (6, p. 25.) • 



Regarding the matter of the bounds or limits of the hybrid 



characters, he remarks elsewhere : 



"Let us call attention to a circumstance always constant in the hybrids, 

 which we have to consider, that is the absence in the products of colors 

 other than those, or a combination of those, of the parents. We shall 

 insist upon this characteristic, because we shall have occasion to recur 

 to it; it will serve us to establish that, up to now, the facts prove that, 

 by hybrid fecundations, one will obtain, in whatever part of the plant 

 they present themselves, only the variations of color limited to those of 

 the parents." (6, p. 18.) 



Since Verlot's view regarding the nature of a "hybrid" was 

 the conventional one, that it consists of a cross between what are 

 commonly called distinct "species," he was led to notice the very 

 common fact of comparative sterility in these cases. Noting the 

 well-known characteristic of augmented vegetative growth in 

 hybrids, he is led to ascribe the frequent seed-sterility to this 

 latter — a conclusion easily if naively arrived at, from the well- 

 known inverse relation between undue vegetative luxuriance and 

 seed reproduction. As an instance of intermediacy, Verlot alludes 

 to the matter of height : 



"In crossing an almost dwarf species with the pollen of a taller 

 species, . . . the seeds of this cross will undoubtedly produce individ- 

 uals taller than was their mother." (6, p. 44.) 



Regarding intermediateness in size in flowers, he says : 



"In crossing a species 'parviflora by its variety 'grandiflora we shall 

 be able ... to obtain individuals with flowers larger than those of their 

 mother; by crossing, one is able then to create a race or a variety in 

 which the size of the flowers will be augmented." (6, p. 47.) 



With regard to the same matter in respect to earliness and 

 lateness, he says : 



"Supposing one crosses a very early plant with its very late variety, 

 or vice versa, one will only be able to obtain varieties intermediate 

 between the parents in earliness or lateness." (6, p. 50.) 



Regarding fragrance, he mentions the case of a cross between 

 Rhododendron ciliatuin (odorless), and R. edgeworthii (very 

 fragrant), the hybrid being less intensely fragrant than the pol- 

 len parent. (6, p. 31.) 



