12 0B9KRVATI0NS UPON MULING AMONG PLANTS. 



Otherwise the experiment will be stopped in some of its stages by 

 the sterility of the hybrids. The predominance of fructiferous 

 power must also be on the female side, as the pollen of the pure 

 species is to be used. The subjoined table shows the number 

 of impregnations requisite to complete the changes : tlie results 

 of experiment, however, are not always the same. 



Aquilegia atropurpurea became 

 . canadensis „ 



Dianthus arenarius 



Anuria 

 harhatus 



Geum urbanum , 



Lavalera pseudolbia , 



Lychnis diurna , 



■ ■ - vespertina > 



(Enothera nocturna , 



• villosa , 



&c. 



This change, be it observed, is totally different from those 

 supposed effects of external circumstances in converting one 

 species into another of a very different structure, as oats into 

 rye, rye into Bromus secaUnus, 13romus sterilis into Hordeum 

 viurinum, Brassica rapa into TIdaspi arveyise, or this latter into 

 Camellna saliva and Capsella Bursa pastoris. That all these 

 supposed changes are mere illusions we do not doubt for an in- 

 stant, and the curious case figured in the ' Gardeners' Chronicle' 

 for 1849 is an instance of one mode in whicli delusion may have 

 occurred. Tlie effects of grafting are far more interesting, but 

 in reality are little connected with our subject, and we the rather 

 pass them by, as so much has been said on the subject in Mr. 

 Herbert's valuable memoir in this .Journal. 



We regret that we have no room fur any notice of the author's 

 remarks on the Classification of Bastards, tliough something has 

 already been said on the subject ; and we must also pass over 

 his observations on varieties and their mules, as also on the oc- 

 currence of wild hybrids. There is, too, a long chapter of sixty 

 pages on th.e distinctive marks and peculiarities of hybrids, but 

 it contains little that has not been already noticed. 



We conclude with a short abstract of his last chapter, which 

 treats of the practical uses wliicli landowners and floriculturists 

 may derive from the production of mules. 



Tlie peculiar tendency of hybrids to luxuriance in their stem 

 and foliage, and the facility with which they are propagated by 



