Nope, but the difference between two unrelated cultivars is so high that all possible combinations should be in the offspring.
Let's make an easy blunt example, you cross a plant with large and white flowers to a one with small purple flowers. We presume no other genetics, dominance or traits interfere in this example. This should result in 25% offspring showing large and white flowers, 25% large and purple, 25% small and white & finally 25% small and purple, right? Well, now know that plants coming from totally different stock and breeding lines have multiple traits that can differ, multiplying the offspring combinations exponentially. And then we haven't even talked about dominant and recessive traits. This messes with the percentage of offspring each trait has.
When you start out breeding, unless you have lot's of space, it's best to stick to cultivars with similar traits or from same breeding lines. This way, you know the amount of traits that can be expressed are limited and this results in reaching your goal faster...And that's learning how to do it and more important, how not to do it, because trust me...You'll make mistakes during your endeavors which can mess up one or two seasons worth of work... It happens.
But rest assured, the book has loads of interesting stuff in it. There's more books about the subject, let me see what I can find...
