142 THE GARDENER. [March 



stock is altered occasionally by the scion, but perhaps not once out of 

 a million, perhaps ten million, times. 



I remember reading of a Jasmine — a common green variety — on 

 one of the branches of which was budded a variegated one. The 

 first year it made a growth true to the variety from which the bud 

 was taken. The year following a shoot similar in every respect to 

 the inserted variety appeared on the stock, nearer the ground than 

 the inserted bud. When this was noticed the " foreigner " was cut 

 out entirely, so that the stock only was left ; but still the variegation 

 continued to spread until the whole plant, to the ground-line, became 

 variegated. And how 1 That is just what I want to know, and that 

 is what has never been explained, and it seems doubtful if it ever 

 will ; for if such a thing really did occur, according to any discover- 

 able physiological law, how comes it that such cases are so few and 

 far between, and the exception rather than the rule 1 Bud a million 

 Jasmines with a variegated bud, and the likelihood is, not one will 

 behave as I have described. There is much in vegetable physiology 

 that is inexplicable, but not one point more so than the question 

 before us. AVhat circumstances can we provide to any class of plants 

 in order to cause them to sport 1 Certain fugitive plants — Stella 

 Geranium for one — will sport into a variegated form occasionally, if 

 starved in dry, poor, sandy soil, and the opposite treatment will 

 cause it to revert to its normal form. The same is true of Cyperus 

 alternifolius, and of that most beautiful Coleus Duchess of Edin- 

 burgh, and a host of other subjects. Sports, then, do occur, and 

 again revert to their normal form. But can a stock which reproduces 

 a certain form, which may have been grafted on a portion of its stem 

 and then wholly removed, be called sporting 1 This is a question 

 which will require to be better understood before being answered 

 either affirmatively or negatively with any degree of confidence ; 

 and while no explanation is forthcoming, the only sensible course to 

 pursue is to reserve our judgment while evidence is being collected. 



As may be guessed, the above has been suggested by the discussion 

 on the Culford Vine sport, so called — rightly or wrongly, I do not 

 pretend to say. But as the particulars of that case were stated in 

 good faith by men respected for their intelligence and professional 

 attainments, sneers and clumsy jokes are not likely to have much in- 

 fluence among those who have given some little attention to such 

 matters. The case is exactly similar to the Jasmine ; and if the thing 

 is credible in the one case, it is equally credible in the other. It cer- 

 tainly is an extremely unlikely thing to happen ; but until we have 

 more instances, we ought simply to reserve our judgment, as we have 

 said before, and especially when we remember that such things are 



