Wäre die Blüthenfarbe A zusammengesetzt aus den selbstständigen Merkmalen A1 + A2 + . . . ., welche den Gesammt-Eindruck der purpurrothen Färbung hervorrufen, so müssten durch Befruchtung mit dem differirenden Merkmale der weissen Farbe A die hybriden Verbindungen A1a + A2a + . . . . gebildet werden, und ähnlich würde es sich mit der correspondirenden Färbung der Samenschale verhalten.
If the flower colour A were composed of autonomous traits A1 + A2 + . . . ., which evoke the overall impression of purple-red colouration, then by fertilisation with the differing trait of white colour a the hybrid conjunctions A1a + A2a + . . . . would have to be formed, and a similar situation would obtain with the corresponding colouration of the seed coat.
autonomous = selbstständigen See p. 6, s. 1.
A1a + A2a + . . . This symbolic expression shows again a striking difference if compared to modern genetic notation, just as earlier on when Mendel introduces his notation system for monohybrid crosses (see p. 17, s. 6). Rather than defining a “differing” pair of factors Ai and ai for each of the assumed individual colour traits (as one would do under the assumption of allelic behaviour), white colour is opposed to all of the colours collectively as a. Mendel obviously thought of white colour as the complete absence of colour, which allows for no further differentiation. Thinking in terms of “presence” and “absence” of traits played an important role in the early years of classical genetics, especially in the work of Bateson.
hybrid conjunctions = hybriden Verbindungen See p. 10, s. 14.
corresponding = correspondirenden Mendel’s formulation leaves it open whether he thinks of seed coat colour as being determined in exactly the same way as flower colour or not.
colouration = Färbung See p. 10, s. 8.