THE GRAPE 355 



hundred black-fruited seedlings may be ex- 

 pected. With red grapes about the same pro- 

 portion will follow the parent color. But from 

 a white grape probably less than one-fourth will 

 come white. 



With the European grape, Vitis vinifera, the 

 most variable and commercially the most im- 

 portant species in the world, the proportion 

 would be wholly different in most cases. Plant- 

 ing a red grape one may expect half red or half 

 black, the tendency being slightly more toward 

 red or black grapes than white, but the propor- 

 tions varying indefinitely. 



Certain qualities of the inherent constitution 

 of the plant are markedly heritable. 



Thus the seeds from a strong-growing variety 

 are likely to produce strong-growing seedlings. 

 Productive grapes will usually produce a high 

 proportion of productive seedlings. A grape 

 subject to mildew is almost certain to produce 

 a large proportion of seedlings subject to 

 mildew. 



A variety having abnormally large leaves will 

 not often reproduce that tendency in its seed- 

 lings, for an abnormality is more apt not to re- 

 produce itself, there being a tendency to return 

 to the normal condition, which has existed for 

 perhaps a thousand years. 



