182 TRANSACTIONS, NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY OF GLASGOW. 



of the Cauliflower, and in the fasciated inflorescence of the Cocks- 

 comb, advantage is taken of the inherited tendency of the plants 

 to produce these abnormalities. 



It is generally admitted, however, that where malformation is 

 present, disease may be looked for as a natural sequence. Some 

 authorities are of opinion that the cultivation of fruit trees ha^j 

 resulted in an enfeeblement of their vegetative organs, and a 

 shortening of the duration of their lives. It may be assumed 

 that all cultivated plants are, to a certain extent, disposed to 

 deviate in one way or another from their ordinary structure, and 

 it cannot therefore be wondered at that they are so liable to mal- 

 formations and diseases. 



Although the abnormalities of the Tomato [PI. II.] are not with- 

 out parallels in the vegetable world, under certain conditions they 

 are, I think, so excessive, varied, and unusual in a plant so highly 

 organised as to be worthy of special notice. Gardeners are familiar 

 with these phenomena, to which they pay little attention further 

 than removing superfluous growths wherever they appear. The 

 causes which lead to these manifestations are not far to seek, but 

 biological questions arise which might prove worthy of the 

 attention of the student. 



Some years ago I grew a few Tomato plants, and, observing 

 during their development some abnormalities of a striking nature, 

 I determined, when a suitable opportunity should arise, to pro- 

 secute my observations on a larger scale. This year I have been 

 able to do so. Through the kindness of Mr. James Barr, of Kose- 

 bank Nurseries, I have made continuous observations on the 

 growth of over 2,000 plants in his Tomato houses from their 

 earliest stages. In addition to this, some thousands of plants 

 have been examined in the houses of growers in various parts of 

 the country. • 



The Tomato, Lycopersicum esculentum, Mill., is an annual of 

 straggling habit, producing many trailing succulent stems, not 

 unlike "potato shaws." The natural order, Solanacese, to which 

 it belongs is one of the largest of the orders of flowering plants. 

 It has representatives, showing a considerable range of variation, 

 in almost every climate, and reaches its highest point in numbers 

 of "■enera and species in the tropics. Although the Tomato was 

 introduced into this country from South America at an early date, 



