After thinking for a moment, Mendel replied, "The two experiments you mention are important for the determination of the average ratios, because with a smaller number of experimental plants they show that very considerable fluctuations may occur."
"Ahh," snorted Brother Timothy, interrupting Mendel's answer, another tactic in scientific debate. "And how easy was it to determine the exact color of the seeds? It has been my experience that there is a lot of subjective judgment required."
"Very true, Brother Timothy," said Mendel, "In counting the seeds especially in experiment number two, some care was required. In some of the seeds of many plants the green color of the albumen is less developed, and at first may be easily overlooked."
"Don't you find that makes the impartial determination of your results hard to accept?"
"The cause of this partial disappearance of the green coloring has no connection with the hybrid-character of the plants, as it likewise occurs in the parental variety," explained Mendel, becoming a bit frustrated. Didn't they get it? None of these trivial details mattered, they were all peripheral to the central argument and the nature of the results.