"To this object numerous careful observers, such as Kolreuter, Gartner, Herbert, Lecoq, Wichura and others, have devoted a part of their lives with inexhaustible perseverance."
Which is more than I have, thought Brother Timothy, and tuned out the next pedantic sentences, thinking instead of how easy it had been to manipulate the gullible Mendel. After his book, The Anatomy and Esthetics of Plants had been published in 1853, he has signed a copy and presented it to Mendel personally. Delighted at the attention, Mendel had reciprocated and allowed Brother Timothy to examine his own data on plant hybridization.
Their seemingly cordial relationship had been interrupted briefly when Brother Timothy had taken a post as research assistant to Professor Hanus in Lemberg University, but had picked up again after his recent return to the monastery. It had not been hard to get Mendel to propose him as a member of the new Natural History society and become an elected member in 1863. Everyone in the monastery knew that he was a particular favorite of Abbot Napp, who considered him an outstanding scientist. Many already considered him the leading contender for Napp's abbacy a delightful train of thought lasted long enough for Mendel to reach the next part of his presentation.
"The value and utility of any experiment are determined by the fitness of the material to the purpose for which it is used, and thus in the case before us it cannot be immaterial what plants are subjected to experiment and in what manner such experiment is conducted." For the first time, Mendel looked up from his notes and glanced at his audience. Makytta and Brother Matthew were still listening attentively, but Grunewald's eyes were already beginning to glaze over. At least nobody was asleep yet.
He continued, "The selection of the plant group which shall serve for experiments of this kind must be made with all possible care if it be desired to avoid from the outset every risk of questionable results."
"The experimental plants must necessarily: