396 TIIE SELF-FERTILIZATION OF PLANTS. 



of each element are not so far wanting in rhythmical 

 harmony as to prevent such a coordination as is re- 

 quired for the production of a hybrid, yet that hybrid 

 has in it the characters of the two species, so com- 

 pounded or coalesced as to preclude its possession of 

 the power of spontaneously exuding a new organism ; 

 or in other words, of impressing its coordinating force 

 upon a part of itself, so as to make such part capable 

 of reproducing a likeness of itself. 



This is the reason of the good resulting from a 

 cross with a distinct, but allied species, viz. : The 

 plant, in question, is wanting in some of the charac- 

 ters of its species. In the distinct species, it finds 

 characters, like those which are wanting in itself; and, 

 it is possible for it to avail itself of them to amend its 

 lost integrity. But, the line of descent is not capa- 

 ble of being carried any further; and, there is no 

 means possible of averting the extinction which occurs 

 in the succeeding generation, as there is, when an in- 

 dividual of a pure species, becomes self-impotent, or 

 sterile. Two self-impotent individuals of the same 

 species, may be fertile together; and they are fertile, 

 because they have made up, together-, the complement 

 of the characters necessaiy for reproduction ; but they 

 are different from distinct species, for these characters 

 are perfectly in harmony with each other, when joined 

 in the mongrel ; and, therefore, there is no impedi- 

 ment to the offspring, and its line, continuing indefi- 

 nitely fertile. All such offspring need do, to continue 

 the fertility, is to keep up the requisite number and 

 proportion of the characters of its species. 



