CHAPTER X 



Mendel's discovery Segregation of gametes The 'extent of the Hendelian ex- 

 periments Comparison between the results of the Mendelian experiments 

 and the distribution of the chromosomes in fertilisation A suggestion that 

 Mendelian characters are represented by chromosomes Blended inheritance 

 Exclusive inheritance Particulate inheritance Mendelian phenomena 

 most perfect in self-fertilising plants A suggestion that Mendelian char- 

 acters are individual variations and that characters which blend are racial 

 Evidence in support of this theory. 



OF all the recent discoveries relating to heredity and 

 evolution, probably none has aroused more interest and 

 more controversy in this country than that of Gregor Johann 

 Mendel, Abbot of Bronn in Austria, One school of biologists 

 would have us believe that the discoveries of Mendel com- 

 bined with the theory of mutations have not so much ex- 

 tended the Darwin- Wallace theory, of natural selection as 

 replaced it. 1 With regard to Mendel's work, a number, 

 perhaps the majority of biologists, regard it as interesting 

 and important, but do not take it in so serious a manner 

 as the others. Mendel's observations were first published 

 in 1865 in a comparatively obscure journal, and escaped 

 observation for many years, 2 but several botanists " redis- 

 covered " Mendel's discoveries many years later. 3 



Mendel's experiments dealt with the manner in which 



1 Bateson, Report British Association, 1904, p. 574. 



2 Mendel, G. J., " Versuche iiber Pflanzen Hybriden," Verhandlunyen des 

 Naturforschafdichen Vcrcin in Briinn, Band IV., 1865. 



3 Correns, C , " G. Mendel's Regeln iiber das Verhalten der Nachkommen- 

 schaft der Rassenbastarde," Ber. Dcntsch. Bot. Gcs., xviii., 1900 ; Tschermak, E., 

 "Uber kunstliche Kreuzung bei Pisum sativum," Zeitschr. Landwirthschaft. 

 Versuchswcsen in Ocsterrcich., iii., 1900 ; Vries, H. de, " Sur la loi de disjouction 



des Hybrides," Comptcs Rendus Acad. des Sciences Paris, cxxx., 1900. 



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