32 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. [Pub. Doc. 



between plants, and, if possible, between plants grown 

 under somewhat different conditions. All the results are 

 exceedingly interesting and important; and there is every 

 reason to believe that, as a rule, similar results can be 

 obtained with all plants. 



Darwin extended his investigations to many plants, only 

 a few of which need be discussed here. Cabbage gave pro- 

 nounced results. Crossed plants were to self-fertilized 

 plants in weight as 100 is to 37. A cross was now made 

 between these crossed plants and a plant of the same variety 

 from another garden, and the difference in weight of the 

 resulting offspring was the difference between 100 and 22, 

 showing a gain of over 350 per cent, due to a cross with 

 fresh stock. Crossed lettuce plants exceeded uncrossed in 

 height as 100 exceeds 82. Buckwheat gave an increase in 

 weight of setds as 100 to 82, and in height of plants as 100 

 to 69. Beets gave an increase in height represented by 

 100 and 87. Maize, when full grown, from crossed and 

 uncrossed seeds, gave the differences in height between 100 

 and 91. Canary-grass gave similar results. 



I have obtained results as well marked as these upon a 

 large and what mio;ht be called a commercial scale. I raised 

 the plants during the first generation of seeds from known 

 parentage, the flowers from which they came having been 

 carefully pollinated by hand. In some instances the second 

 generations were grown from hand-crossed seeds, but in 

 other cases the second generations were grown from seeds 

 simply selected from the first-year patches. As the experi- 

 ments have been made in the field and upon a somewhat 

 extensive scale, it was not possible to accurately measure the 

 plants and the fruits from individuals in all cases; but the 

 results have been so marked as to admit of no doubt as to 

 their character. In 1889 several hand-crosses were made 

 among egg-plants. Three fruits matured, and the seeds from 

 them were grown in 1890. Some two hundred plants were 

 grown, and they were characterized throughout the season 

 by great sturdiness and vigor of growth. They grew more 

 erect and taller than other plants near by grown from com- 

 mercial seeds. They were the finest plants which I had ever 

 seen. It was impossible to determine productiveness, from 



