Chap. XXIV. ACCLIMATISATION. 301 



" beds of the one can "be known from the other when seen 

 " from the distance of a mile." Closely similar facts have been 

 observed with seedling larches. 



Hardy varieties would alone be valued or noticed in Europe ; 

 whilst tender varieties, requiring more warmth, would generally be 

 neglected; but such occasionally arise. Thus Loudon ^^ describes a 

 Cornish variety of the elm which is almost an evergreen, and of 

 which the shoots are often killed by the autumnal frosts, so that its 

 timber is of little value. Horticulturists know that some varieties 

 are much more tender than others : thus all the varieties of the 

 broccoli are more tender than cabbages ; but there is much difference 

 in this respect in the sub- varieties of the broccoli ; the pink and 

 fjurple kinds are a little hardier than the white CajDC broccoli, " but 

 " they are not to be depended on after the thermometer falls below 

 " 2i° Fahr. ;" the Walcheren broccoli is less tender than the Cape, 

 and there are several varieties which will stand much severer cold 

 than the AValcheren.'^^ Cauliflowers seed more freely in India than 

 cabbages.^^ To give one instance with flowers : eleven j)lants raised 

 from a hollyhock, called the Queen of the Wliites,"'^ were found to be 

 much more tender than various other seedlings. It may be pre- 

 sumed that all tender varieties would succeed better under a climate 

 warmer than ours. "With fruit-trees, it is well known that certain 

 varieties, for instance of the peach, stand forcing in a hot-house 

 better than others ; and this shows either pliability of organisation 

 or some constitutional difference. The same individual cherry-tree, 

 when forced, has been observed during successive years gradually to 

 change its period of vegetation.'*^ Few pelargoniums can resist the 

 heat of a stove, but Alha Multiflora will, as a most skilful gardener 

 asserts, " stand pine-apple top and bottom heat the whole winter, 

 *' without looking any more drawn than if it had stood in a common 

 '' greenhouse ; and Blanche Fleur seems as if it had been made on 

 " purpose for growing in winter, like many bulbs, and to rest all 

 '' summer." ^*^ There can hardly be a doubt that the Alba Multiflora 

 pelargonium must have a widely different constitution from that of 

 most other varieties of this plant ; it would probably withstand even 

 an equatorial climate. 



We have seen that according to Labat the vine and wheat require 

 acclimatisation in order to succeed in the West Indies, Similar 

 facts have been observed at Madras : "two parcels of mignonette- 



^' 'Arboretum ol I'ruticetuni,' vol. ^^ 'Gardener's Chronicle,* 1841, p. 



lij. p. 1376. 291. 



" T.Ir. Robson, in ' Journal of "•* Mr. Beaton, in ' Cottage Gar- 

 Horticulture,' lS*n, p. 23. deuer,' March 20th, 18'30, p. 377. 



^' Dr. Bonavia, ' Report of the Queen Mab will also stand stove heat. 



Agri.-Hort. Soc. of Oudh,' 1866. See ' Gardener's Chronicle,* 1845, p. 



1* ' Cottage Gardener,' 1860, April 226. 

 24th, p. 57. 



35 



