1879.1 



AND HORTICULTURIST. 



■m 



their normal condition requires insects and cross- 

 ing for full physiological effects, the results of 

 intercrossing should be taken as the standard. 

 Then it would be correct to say that such plants 

 are not benefited by self-fertilization, for their 

 standard is often lowered, as Darwin has shown 

 al)undantly. On the other hand, with plants 

 habitually self-fertilized, their standard is the re- 

 sult of self-fertilization. Xow these, as Darwin 

 has shown with Canna, garden pea, some cleis- 

 togamous flowers, etc., are just as indiffrrent to 

 crossing, for their standard is similarly lowered 

 by the process. But further, while the latter 

 are not benefited by crossing, the former may 

 be actually benefited by self-fertilization, as 

 Darwin has proved with Hero, white Mimulus. 

 Dianthus, etc., which, having re-acquired the 

 power of self-fertilization, at once pass under the 

 category of self-fertilizing flowers. Hence, ccete- 

 ris paribus, the balance must be in favor of self- 

 fertilization. This is the logical inference which 

 has to be refuted, if it be possible to do so. But 

 we may proceed further. Darwin has shown 

 that certain plants which are adapted to insects 

 only acquire their fullest fertility when crossed 

 v>-ith distinct stocks. Hence the ordinary cross- 

 ing of plants growing in the same soil is not 

 perfect ; so that the real alternative lies between 

 a constant intercrossing between stocks of widely 

 sundered localities, or else self-fertilization. 

 The former in nature is out of the question, 

 hence the latter is preferable, as their propaga- 

 tive powers are enormous, and far beyond what 

 is absolutely required to maintain their existence. 

 Professor Gray, in speaking of the benefits of 

 crossing, says : ' We do not doubt that sexual 

 reproduction contributes something to the well- 

 being of the species,' (apart from that to the in- 

 dividual?) 'besides facilitating its dispersion;' 

 ' an occasional cross suffices to secure the benefit 

 of intercrossing, whatever that may 6e.' I have 

 more than once protested against the use of 

 vague expressions, such as the words I have 

 italicised; for they are misleading and valueless 

 in argument. Unless it be distinctly stated what 

 the benefit is supposed to be, and wherein I 

 may have denied such to accrue to the plant, I 

 can only refuse to reply. In ray paper I con- 

 sider one 'end' of plant life as alone legitimately 

 recognizable, namely, propagation. All other 

 so-called ' benefits ' I maintain have not been 

 proved to be such at all, and are merely subjec- 

 tive impressions ; while all botanists admit that 

 self-fertilization is by far the best method for 



securing rapid and abundant propagation. The 

 plants alluded to, excepting Gaura parvitlora, 

 were upon the authority of others. That this 

 species should ' open its fiowers freely and bear 

 rose-colored petals' in America, entirely con- 

 firms my statement, that flowers adapted to in- 

 sects in one country or in one season may be 

 self-fertilizing elsewhere, and vice versd^axnX liiat 

 inconspicuous self-fertilizing forms (species) are 

 simply reduced from their conspicuous allies. 

 Though the many flowers of Gaura wliich I ex- 

 amined at Kew were cleistogamous, it is just 

 what I expected to hear, that they open in their 

 native country. Pi'ofessor A. Gray asks me if I 

 ever asked myself the question, 'AVhy sexes are 

 separate in animals ?' I reply by taking the 

 liberty of an American, in asking him if he ever 

 thought why they are retained in one and the 

 same animal in many cases? If my paper was 

 ' unconvincing ' to the Professor, I fear, though 

 I thank him much for it, I cannot say otherwise 

 for his kindly criticism."' 



ABNORMAL FLOWERS. 



BY REDWOOD CALEIIOPPER, WILMINGTON, DEL. 



I wish to call the attention of your botanical 

 readers to the two following extracts. The 

 first, below, is from a pamphlet giving a short ac- 

 count of the history and present condition of 

 Cyprus, the author being R. Hamilton Lang, for 

 a number of years British consul on the island : 



" They bartered the gold and the luxurious 

 manufactures of the East for the minerals and 

 the produce of the island, which they carried 

 back to the mother country or transported to the 

 far-off lands visited by their ships. As the bee, 

 flying from pollen to pollen, hybridizes as it 

 goes, the Phcenician trader scattered the seeds 

 of an advanced civilization, and a higher mate- 

 rial prosperity wherever he touched and where- 

 ever the grateful advantages of his commerce 

 were felt." 



The second extract is from a recent number 

 of the Atlanta Daily Constitution : 



"The editor of the Quitman Reporter has 

 seen a rose which is something out of the 

 usual oi'der of nature. The stem had first 

 a white rose in full bloom, then about an 

 inch above was a red rose with a small leaf, 

 through which the stem extended and bore on 

 its end a rose bud which had not yet fully de- 

 veloped." 



My own attention was not long since called to 



