Pure species have of course their organs of reproduction in a perfect
condition, yet when intercrossed they produce either few or no offspring.
Hybrids, on the other hand, have their reproductive organs functionally
impotent, as may be clearly seen in the state of the male element in both
plants and animals; though the formative organs themselves are perfect in
structure, as far as the microscope reveals. In the first case the two
sexual elements which go to form the embryo are perfect; in the second case
they are either not at all developed, or are imperfectly developed. This
distinction is important, when the cause of the sterility, which is common
to the two cases, has to be considered. The distinction probably has been
slurred over, owing to the sterility in both cases being looked on as a
special endowment, beyond the province of our reasoning powers.
The fertility of varieties, that is of the forms known or believed to be
descended from common parents, when crossed, and likewise the fertility of
their mongrel offspring, is, with reference to my theory, of equal
importance with the sterility of species; for it seems to make a broad and
clear distinction between varieties and species.
DEGREES OF STERILITY.
First, for the sterility of species when crossed and of their hybrid
offspring. It is impossible to study the several memoirs and works of
those two conscientious and admirable observers, Kolreuter and Gartner, who
almost devoted their lives to this subject, without being deeply impressed
with the high generality of some degree of sterility.
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