CHAPTER V 1 



THE GERMAN HYBRIDIZERS 



22. Wzegmatin's Experiments. 



IN 1819, and for a second time in 1822, the Physical Section 

 of the Royal Prussian Academy of the Sciences, had, at Link's 

 proposal, offered a prize for an answer to the question: "Does 

 hybrid fertilization occur in the plant kingdom'?" (Gibt es eine 

 Bastarderzeugung im Pflanzenreiche'?) and this, despite the fact 

 that as early as 1761, Kolreuter had flattered himself with the 

 hope that now, 



". . . even the most stubborn doubter of the truth of the sexuality of 

 plants would be completely convinced, if contrary to all conjecture," he 

 says, "there should be such an one, who, after a rigid examination, still 

 maintained the contrar>% it would astonish me as greatly as though I 

 heard someone on a clear mid-day maintain that it was night." 



Fifty-six years after this utterance however, apparently un- 

 convinced, the Prussian Academy still sought light in the dark- 

 ness that Kolreuter had congratulated himself to have dispelled. 



On the third of July, 1826, the Academy's prize was conferred 

 upon Dr. A. F. Wiegmann, physician, of Braunschweig. Since the 

 investigation did not, however, in the Academy's opinion, furnish 

 a complete solution to the question, only half, instead of the 

 whole of the prize was granted. The award was made in the 

 following language : 



"The author has described the results of his investigations with appro- 

 priate brevity. These results are in part completely convincing, and in 

 part not;" 



the reason being given, that certain of Wiegmann's hybrid speci- 

 mens submitted scarcely showed evidence of being of a hybrid 

 character. Since, on the other hand, Wiegmann's results com- 

 pletely confirmed and extended those of Kolreuter, and especially 

 by reason of his determination of the fact that self-fertilized 

 hybrids may bear fertile seeds, it was decided to grant the award. 



