38 THE MAIN CURRENTS OF ZOOLOGY 



The hybrids were produced by removing the un- 

 ripe stamens of certain flowers and later fertilizing 

 them by ripe pollen from another pure breed having 

 a contrasting character. The results showed that 

 only one of a pair of unit characters appeared in the 

 hybrids of the next generation, while the other con- 

 trasting character lay dormant. Thus, in crossing a 

 yellow-seeded with a green-seeded pea, the hybrid 

 generation showed only yellow seeds. The char- 

 acter thus impressing itself on the entire progeny was 

 called dominant, while the other that was held in 

 abeyance was designated recessive. 



That the recessive color was not blotted out was 

 clearly demonstrated by allowing the hybrid genera- 

 tion to develop by self-fertilization. Under these 

 circumstances a most interesting result was attained. 

 The filial generation, derived by self-fertilization 

 among the hybrids, produced plants w r ith yellow and 

 green seeds, but in the ratio of three yellow to one 

 green. All the green-seeded individuals and one- 

 third of the yellow proved to breed true, while the 

 remaining two-thirds of the yellow-seeded plants, 

 when self -fertilized, produced yellow and green seeds 

 in the ratio of three to one. 



Subsequent breedings gave an unending series of 



