DURATION OF VARIETIES OF PLANTS. 



One of the first authorities on the ranunculus, the Rev. Mr. Ttso, a gentleman who 

 has raised thousands of this beautiful flower from seeds, observes that " the longevity 

 of the ranunculus has been variously stated. Some of the finest seedlings are weak, and 

 therefore die in a few years, though for a time they had great renown; others of first rate 

 character, are remarkably strong, and increase abundantly. A variety may be perpetuat- 

 ed about a century. Many of the varieties standing high in the esteem of florists forty 

 3' ears ago, are fast declining in numbers and energj'^; they now blossom less frequently, or 

 produce smaller blossoms. Seedlings possess all the luxuriance and vigor of youth, and 

 pi'oduce larger and finer blossoms than the old varieties."* Similar observations might be 

 quoted from papers in the Gardener's Chronicle, by Dr. Horner, Mr. R. Lymburn, and 

 other cultivators of this flower. 



Another high authority in these matters, minutely describes the eflfects of age on varie- 

 ties of the anemone. " The constitution of anemones," says Mr. Maddock,! undergoes 

 considerable changes with age, which is, perhaps, in a greater or smaller degree, the case 

 Avith all other vegetables. The anemone Mill not last over twelve or fifteen years without 

 degenerating, unless it be frequently removed to a different soil and situation; nor will 

 any removals protract or prolong its existence more than thirty or forty years. It gene- 

 rally blooms in the greatest perfection from the fifth to the tenth or twelfth year, after 

 which it gradually becomes smaller and weaker, and if the flower was originally full and 

 double, with age it loses that property ; the petals diminish in number, become small and 

 irregular and finally, the sort perishes. It has more than once occurred, that the same 

 variety, although in the possession of many persons residing at remote distances from each 

 other, has been entirely lost in one season, without the possibility of accounting for it in 

 any other manner than the above." 



Mr. Knight's hypothesis seems indeed to be based on such numerous indisputable facts, 

 the results of repeated experiments and observations by himself and other practical men, 

 that I could scarcely have believed any serious objection would be urged against it at the 

 present day, by any man whose opinion is entitled to respect. Loudon, who was so de- 

 cidedly opposed to it at one time, very nearly coincided with Mr. Knight's views lately, 

 as your extract from the Suburban Horticulturist indicates. In the life of Mr. Knight, 

 prefixed to the published collection of his Phys. and Hort. papers, it is said : " Mr. Knight's 

 hypothesis was so contrary to generally received opinions, that it at first met with consi- 

 derable opposition; but the increasing decay of the old fruits, even when grafted on the 

 most vigorous stocks, and the superior healthiness of the new varieties produced from 

 seed, has caused Mr. Knight's theory to be almost universally adopted." 



Dr. LiNDLEY has indeed himself placed on record the most decided opinion in favor of 

 this hypothesis, — that there is some analogy between vegetable and animal life; that va- 

 rieties of plants do become feeble and less productive as they become old. In an article 

 in the Gardene/'s Chronicle of the Gth of September, 1845, he said, " raising seedling po- 

 tatoes is a practice upon the importance of which we have frequently insisted. All old 

 varieties of those cultivated plants which are propagated by division of the stem and not 

 by seeds, seem to decline as they grow old, there being some analogy in this respect be- 

 tween plants and animals." In the Gardener's Chronicle of March 1, 1845, Dr. Lind- 

 LEY, in an article on the potato said — " finally let us point to the immense importance (the 

 italics are his own) of renewing the vigor of potatoes by raising new varieties from seeds; 

 this has been tried over and over again, and always with some advantage; sometimes with a 

 deal. It is certain that the productive quality of a given variety of the potato is in 

 Gurd. Chroii., June 22, 1844, and Tyso's Pamph. on the Ranunculus — t Haddock's Florist's Directory 



