CAMBRIDGE LIBRARY COLLECTION Books of enduring scholarly value Life Sciences Until the nineteenth century, the various subjects now known as the life sciences were regarded either as arcane studies which had little impact on ordinary daily life, or as a genteel hobby for the leisured classes. The increasing academic rigour and systematisation brought to the study of botany, zoology and other disciplines, and their adoption in university curricula, are reflected in the books reissued in this series. Mendel’s Principles of Heredity William Bateson (1861-1926) began his academic career working on variation in animals in the light of evolutionary theory. He was inspired by the rediscovery in 1900 of the 1860s work on plant hybridisation by the Austrian monk Gregor Mendel to pursue further experimental work in what he named ‘genetics’. He realised that Mendel’s results could help to solve difficult biological questions and controversies which others had glossed over, and to challenge the status quo in evolutionary studies. Annoyed by the ‘apathetic’ stance of his evolutionist colleagues, and incensed by the Oxford professor Raphael Weldon’s scathing critique of Mendel in a journal article, Bateson incorporated an English translation of Mendel’s work into this 1902 book along with a thorough defence of Mendel’s statistical experiments and the principles of heredity derived from them. His book is an impassioned appeal for scientists to adopt this ‘brilliant method’ which he felt could revolutionise both scholarship and industry. This volume also contains, in an appendix, the original German texts of Mendel’s Versuche über Pflanzenhybriden, as published in Leipzig in 1901. Cambridge University Press has long been a pioneer in the reissuing of out-of-print titles from its own backlist, producing digital reprints of books that are still sought after by scholars and students but could not be reprinted economically using traditional technology. The Cambridge Library Collection extends this activity to a wider range of books which are still of importance to researchers and professionals, either for the source material they contain, or as landmarks in the history of their academic discipline. Drawing from the world-renowned collections in the Cambridge University Library, and guided by the advice of experts in each subject area, Cambridge University Press is using state-of-the-art scanning machines in its own Printing House to capture the content of each book selected for inclusion. The files are processed to give a consistently clear, crisp image, and the books finished to the high quality standard for which the Press is recognised around the world. The latest print-on-demand technology ensures that the books will remain available indefinitely, and that orders for single or multiple copies can quickly be supplied. The Cambridge Library Collection will bring back to life books of enduring scholarly value across a wide range of disciplines in the humanities and social sciences and in science and technology. Mendel’s Principles of Heredity A Defence, with a Translation of Mendel’s Original Papers on Hybridisation William Bateson Gregor Mendel CAMBRIDGE UNIVERSITY PRESS Cambridge New York Melbourne Madrid Cape Town Singapore São Paolo Delhi Published in the United States of America by Cambridge University Press, New York www.cambridge.org Information on this title: www.cambridge.org/9781108006132 © in this compilation Cambridge University Press 2009 This edition first published 1902 This digitally printed version 2009 ISBN 978-1-108-00613-2 This book reproduces the text of the original edition. The content and language reflect the beliefs, practices and terminology of their time, and have not been updated. MENDEL'S PEINCIPLES OE HEEEDITY SonHon: C. J. CLAY AND SONS, CAMBEIDGE UNIVEESITY PEESS WAEEHOUSE, AVE MAEIA LANE, AND H. K. LEWIS, 136, GOWEE STEEET, W.C. t;i ©lassoto: 60, WELLINGTON STREET. liipjig: F. A. BROCKHAUS. to Boris: THE MACMILLAN COMPANY. ant> Calcutta: MACMILLAN AND CO., LTD. [All Rights reserved.] GREGOR MENDEL Abbot of Briinn Born 1822. Died 1884. From a photograph kindly supplied by the Very Rev. Dr Jaueischek. the present Abbot. MENDEL'S PRINCIPLES OF HEREDITY A DEFENCE BY W. BATESON, M.A., F.KS. WITH A TRANSLATION OF MENDEL'S ORIGINAL PAPERS ON HYBRIDISATION. CAMBRIDGE: AT THE UNIVERSITY PRESS. 1902