146 PLANT HYBRIDIZATION BEFORE MENDEL 



This experiment is one of the few attempts at obtaining infor- 

 mation as to the numerical relations between the progeny of plants 

 in the hybrid condition, although in the present instance, the 

 plants not having been knowingly crossed, they were not regarded 

 by Vilmorin as being in the hybrid condition with respect to 

 flower color. The fact of their breaking-up, however, shows that 



Plate XXIX. Henry Leveque de Vilmorin, 1843-1899. 



such was nevertheless the case. This being true, it is probable that 

 the large number of irregular ratios which were obtained was due 

 to crossing by insects. Vilmorin was naturally unable to deduce 

 any precise conclusion from such an array of data. It must be 



