CHAP. VtL TABLE C. 253 



In tnese tkree tables the measurements of fifty-seven 

 species, belonging to fifty-two genera and to thirty 

 great natural families, are given. The species are 

 natives of various parts of the world. The number 

 of crossed plants, including those derived from a cross 

 between plants of the same stock and of two different 

 stocks, amounts to 1,101 ; and the number of self-fer- 

 tilised plants (including a few in Table C derived 

 from a cross between plants of the same old stock) 

 is 1,076. Their growth was observed from the germi- 

 nation of the seeds to maturity; and most of them 

 were measured twice and some thrice. The various 

 precautions taken to prevent either lot being unduly 

 favoured, have been described in the introductory 

 chapter. Bearing all these circumstances in mind, it 

 may be admitted that we have a fair basis for judging 

 of the comparative effects of cross-fertilisation and of 

 self-fertilisation on the growth of the offspring. 



It will be the most convenient plan first to consider 

 the results given in Table C, as an opportunity will thus 

 be afforded of incidentally discussing some important 

 points. If the reader will look down the right-hand 

 column of this table, he will see at a glance what an 

 extraordinary advantage in height, weight, and fer- 

 tility the plants derived from a cross with a fresh stock 

 or with another sub-variety have over the self-fertilised 

 plants, as well as over the intercrossed plants of the 

 same old stock. There are only two exceptions to this 

 rule, and these are hardly real ones. In the case of 

 Eschscholtzia, the advantage is confined to fertility. 

 In that of Petunia, though the plants derived from a 

 cross with a fresh stock had an immense superiority in 

 height, weight, and fertility over the self-fertilised 

 plants, they were conquered by the intercrossed plants 

 of the same old stock in height and weight, but not 



