Striped
races always include two types. Both of them are fertile, and each of
them reproduces in its offspring both its own and the alternate type. It
is like a game of ball, in which the opposing parties always return the
ball. But now suppose that only one of the types were fertile and the
other for some reason wholly sterile, and assume the reversionary, or
primitive monochromatic individuals to be fertile, and the derivative
striped specimens to bloom without seed. If this were the case,
knowledge concerning the hereditary qualities would be greatly limited.
In fact the whole pedigree would be reduced to a monochromatic strain,
which would in each generation sport in some individuals into the
striped variety. But, being sterile, they would not be able to propagate
themselves.
Such seems to be the case with the double flowered stocks. Their double
flowers produce neither stamens nor pistils, and as each individual is
either double or single in all its flowers, the doubles are wholly
destitute of seed. [329] Nevertheless, they are only reproduced by seed
from single flowers, being an annual or biennial species.
Stocks are a large family, and include a wonderful variety of colors,
ranging from white and yellow to purple and red, and with some
variations toward blue. They exhibit also diversity in the habit of
growth.
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