A NEW BRITISH FLORA 119 



botanist knows in his own experience many cases of such pheno- 

 mena — that the budding of one organ out of another prohferation (as 

 this is called) is due also to insect agency or soil conditions, and 

 what is possible in the one case may assuredly be held to be so in 

 another. Vivipary and prolepsis are equally intelligible by appeal- 

 ing to soil conditions in the one case, insect agency in the other. 



Moreover, the existence of imperfect stamens in these plants, 

 although the flowers are said to differ from the common double 

 dafi'odil, indicates not so much a case of crossing, but one in 

 which the production of seed has been prevented by some abnormal 

 cause. 



This non-production of seed is well known in the violet, which 

 lacks petals in the seed-producing state, but is here due to another 

 reason, doubtless the early season of flowering and want of cover 

 for the seeds or means of burying them or ripening them. In 

 the case of the double narcissus, insects disturb the regular 

 working of the floral structure, and activity is centred in petal- 

 formation instead of seed-formation, just as petals in the violet 

 are dispensed with when the embryo is destined to mature in the 

 ovary. 



If further suggestion were needed as to the probable cause of 

 the production of double daffodils at Chittlehampton, it is to be 

 sought in the well-established fact that similar teratological 

 abnormalities can be induced by a mere pin-prick, so that mecha- 

 nical stimulus may also be the inducing agent, as well as insect 

 intrusion. 



Turning, lastly, to analogy in the animal kingdom, would it be 

 more unreasonable to make the suggestion we have made, or to 

 draw attention to ascertained facts as to the origin of double 

 flowers, than to suggest to a Cingalese that pearls were due to the 

 irritant action of sand upon the shell-wall of an oyster '? With 

 this case for reflection and comparison, I would venture to 

 suggest that Miss Saunders may have rather too readily thrown 

 aside the knowledge of experienced botanists and horticulturists. 



A NEW BEITISH FLORA. 



From time to time notices have appeared in this Journal 

 announcing the preparation of a new British Flora. The neces- 

 sity for such a work on modern lines has during the last few years 

 become increasingly obvious, and Prof. Trail in his presidential 

 address at the British Association last year (reprinted in this Jour- 

 nal, 1910, pp. 241-250) emphasized this necessity and suggested 

 preliminary steps towards carrying out an adequate scheme. 

 There is of course ample provision for the field botanist in the 

 way of handbooks which enable him to determine the various 

 forms he may meet with, and througli the medium of this Journal 

 and the Exchange Clubs he is kept fairly ait courant with critical 

 investigation ; but something moi'e than this is required, notably 

 in the direction of illustration. It is therefore with much satis- 



