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of some further botanical experiments conducted by Professor 

 Buckman in the Gardens of the Royal Agricultural College at 

 Cirencester. The first has reference to the mode of growth of 

 " Flax Dodder " seed, the method of its germination, and how 

 it attacks its foster-parent and establishes itself. This has been 

 made the subject of experiment, and a most elaborate article has 

 been written thereon in the Agricultural Gazette. This, together 

 with remarks upon about 200 experimental "plots," will be 

 published in the reports to the British Association, which the 

 Cotteswold Club may be pleased to know has made a grant of 

 Ten Pounds towards defraying the expenses of these investigations 

 in the Gardens of the Royal Agricultural College. 



The next experiment by Professor Buckman is one of more 

 than usual value and importance, as it has had for its object the 

 ennobling of a wild root ; and its complete success is of the 

 highest interest, as bearing directly upon the intricate question 

 of the origin of many of our culinary herbs and fruits, the 

 descent of which, from their wild congeners, has always been a 

 subject of doubt and difficulty, it being by many believed that 

 the wild plant, though cultivated for ever so long, will never 

 produce an esculent variety. The Wild Carrot Daucus carrota ; 

 and the Wild Parsnip Pastinaca saliva, are amongst those 

 whose absolute specific identity with the cultivated varieties 

 appears to be indisputable, having all the characters in common 

 excepting that of being fit for food. The Carrot, I believe, has 

 hitherto resisted all attempts at civilization, and continues 

 obdurate and intractable ; though I do not despair of hearing 

 that under Professor Buckman's superintendence and persuasive 

 manipulation, the refactory nature of the plant has been over- 

 come, and that a new variety of that useful esculent has been 

 added to our list of culinary roots. 



With the Parsnip, however, the learned Professor has been 

 entirely successful, and the " ennobling " of Wild Parsnips 

 has this year arrived at such perfection, that a new variety of the 

 root has been established, and the seed of it can be obtained 

 from Messrs. Sutton, of Reading, under the title of " The Student 

 Parsnip," which is reported to be a most compactly formed root, 

 of a clear unbranched outline, and of a fine flavour. 



It will not have escaped observation how large a portion of the 

 foregoing pages is dedicated to the records of Geology. This is 

 no doubt a most attractive science. The objects which it embraces 

 are amongst the grandest and most exciting to the imagination 

 to which the intellect of man can apply itself. It has been 

 remarked that Geology ranks next to Astronomy in the sublimity 

 of the facts of which it takes cognisance. Looking, moreover, 

 to the almost perfect development of the geological series in 

 some of its most important epochs, as displayed in this county, 

 and further at the vast bulk of geological history exposed for 



