September 24. 1868. 1 



JOURNAL OP nORTIOUIiTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



226 



canons that in organs so closely analogons to the tracheal of innecta a ' 

 similar connection ahonhl long sinro have boon pointed out by Mr. 

 Newport, in the case of certain insect parasites. 



A circumstance, again, which constantly occurs in the diseases of 

 plants confirms the views of Mr. llorhi-rt Spencer. In diseased Turnips, 

 Grapes, Potatoes, etc.. it is especially the vascular tissue which ia first 

 gorged with the ulmates which are so characteristic of disease. 



Monsieur Casiniir De CaudoUe, in a clover memoir on tho morpho- 

 logy of leaves, has como to tho conclnsion, after studying tho arrange- 

 ment of their vascular tissue, that they are branches in which tho 

 side towards the axis, which he culls the posterior, is atrophied. This 

 subject has been followed out iu those organs which are considered as 

 modifications of leaves, as, for example, stamens, in which ho finds 

 sometimes the posterior side, sometimes the anterior, atrophied. If 

 his theory is true, this would resnlt from the way in which they 

 originated, and tho reference they bore to contiguous organs. The 

 subject is well worth attention, and may eventually throw considerable 

 light on those anomalous cases iu Teratology whicli will not accommo- 

 date themselves to tho usual theory of metamorphosis. Some of these 

 cases are so puzzling and complicated, that a very clever botanist once 

 told me. "■ Monstrous flowers teach ns nothing," — not meaning to 

 abjure all assistance from them, but simply to indicate thatthey may be 

 deceptive. Such flowers as double Primroses, and the strange develop- 

 ments on tho corollas of some Gloxinias, may possibly receive their 

 explanation from a careful study of the course of tho vascular tissue. 

 As the colour on the anterior and posterior order in tho latter case is 

 reversed, tho doctrine of dedoublement does not at all help us. 



Hofmeister, in his " Handbuch der Physiologischen Botanik," has an 

 important chapter on free-cell formation, which at the present moment 

 is of great interest as connected with Mr. Darwin's doctrine of Pan- 

 genesis. Mr. Rainey has showed that the formation of false cells 

 takes place in solutions of gum and other substances, and if this is the 

 Cftse where no vital agency is concerned, we may well be prepared for 

 the formation of living cells in organisable lymph, or in other properly 

 constituted matter. The curious cell-formation of Gum Tragacanth 

 may be an intermediate case. Be this, however, as it may. we have 

 examples of free-cell formation in the foi-mation of nuclei, in the 

 embryos of plants, and above all in the asci of ascomycetous fungi. 

 In plants whose cells contain nuclei, new cells are never formed with- 

 out the formation of new nuclei, the number of which exactly corre- 

 sponds with that of the new cells. 



It would be unpardonable to finish these somewhat desultory re- 

 marks without adverting to one of the most interesting subjects of the 

 day, — the Darwinian doctrine of Pangenesis. After the lucid manner, 

 however, in which this doctrine was explained by Dr. Hooker in his 

 opening address, I should be inclined to omit it altogether had I not 

 looked at it from a somewhat different point of view, so that I should 

 not be trespassing upon your time in going over the same ground. 

 Others, indeed, as Owen and Herbert Spencer, have broached some- 

 thing of the kind, but not to such an extent, for the Darwinian theory 

 inclndes atavism, reversion, and inheritance, and embraces mental 

 peculiarities as well as physical. The whole matter is at once so 

 complicated, and the theory so startling, that the mind at first natur- 

 ally shrinks from the reception of so bold a statement. Like everything, 

 however, which comes from the pen of a writer whom I have no hesita- 

 tion, so far as my own judgment goes, in considering as by far the 

 greatest observer of our age. whatever may be thought of his theoiies 

 when carried out to th>'ir extreme results, the subject demands a care- 

 ful and impartial consideration. Like the doctrine of natural selection, 

 it is sure to modify, more or less, our modes of thought. Even suppos- 

 ing the theory unsound, it is to be observed, as Whcwell remarks, as 

 quoted by our author, '' Hypotheses may often be of service to science 

 when they involve a certain portion of incompleteness, and even of 

 error." Mr. Darwin says himself that he has not made Histology an 

 especial branch of study, and I have therefore less hesitation, though 

 *^ tmjmr congrcssus Achilli," in expressing an individual opinion that 

 he has laid too much stress on free-cell formation, which is rather tho 

 exception than the rule. Assuming the general truth of the theory, 

 that molecules endowed with certain attributes are cast off by the 

 component cells of such infinitesimal minuteness as to be capable of 

 circulating with the fluids, and in the end to be present in the unim- 

 pregnated embryo cell and spermatozoid, capable either of lying dor- 

 mant or inactive for a time, or when present in suflicient potency, of 

 producing certain definite effects, it seems to me far more probable 

 that they shonld be capable nnder favourable circumstances of exercis- 

 ing an influence analogous to that which is exercised by the contents of 

 the pollen tube or spermatozoid on the embryo sac or ovum, than that 

 these particles should be themselves developed into cells ; and under 

 some such modification I conceive that the theory is far more likely 

 to meet with anything like a general acceptation. Be this, however, 

 as it may, its comprehensiveness will still remain the same. We must 

 still take it as a compendium of an enormous mass of facts, comprised 

 in the most marvellous manner within an extremely narrow compass. 



I shall venture to offer a very few words in conclusion, which per- 

 haps may be thought to have too theological an aspect for the present 

 occasion. 



It is obvious how open such a theory is to the charge of materialism. 

 It is an undoubted fact, however, that mental peculiarities and endow- 

 ments, together with mere habits, are handed down and subject to the 

 same laws of reversion, atavism, and inheritance as mere structural 



accidents, and there must bo some reason for one class of facts as wel 

 as the other; and whatever tho explanation may he, the hand of God 

 ia equally visible and equally essnntial in all. We cannot now refer 

 every indication of thought and reasoning beyond the pale of humanity 

 to blind instinct, as was once tho fashion, from a fear of the iitferencea 

 which might be made. Should any one, however, be still afraid of 

 any theory like that before us, 1 would suggest that man is roprosentod 

 in Scripture as differing from tho other members nf the animal world, 

 by possessing a spirit as well as a reasoning mind. The distinction 

 between jisi/cJic o-uApnonna which is recognised by the Germans in their 

 familiar words sccic and f/cist, but which we have no words in onr lan- 

 guage* to express properly, or in other terms between mere mental 

 powers which the rest of the creation posRosa in greater or less degree 

 in common with ourselves, and an immortal spirit, if rightly weighed, 

 will perhaps lead some to look upon the matter with less fear and pre- 

 judice. Nothing can bo more unfair, and I may add unwiso, than to 

 stamp at once this and cognate speculations with the charge of irre- 

 ligion. Of this, however, I feel assured, that the members of this 

 Association will conclude with me in bidding this great and conscien- 

 tious author God speed, and join in expressing a hopi' that his health 

 may be preserved to enrich science with the results of his great powers 

 of mind and unwearied observation. 



POTATOES AND BEES 



at the woodstock agricultural and horticultural 



assocls-Tton's show. 



{From a Correspondent.) 



On the 15th inst. this annual Exhibition took place in Blenheim 



Park. The Potatoes aud other roots exhibited, notwithstanding the 



hot dry season, could scarcely be surpassed. 



Potatoes were shown in a special collection of twenty-four kinds by 



Mr. Robert Fenn, of the Rectorj' at Woodstock ; and there was really 



something for the Potato grower to learn by inspecting the many 



j varieties, with labels attached to each basket indicating the particular 



I sort, nature, and growth. Mr. Fenn seems quite at home in this, as 



in many other branches of horticulture. 



Amongst the sorts we particularly noticed were Fenn's Onwards, ft 

 seedling of his raising, originating in a cross between Jackson's Kidney 

 and the Fluke. It is au excellent flattish-ronnd sort, which can be 

 grown both as an early and second early, and makes a first-rate store 

 Potato, as samples of it were shown in fine condition, although dug up 

 in 1867, as were also those of Paterson's Victoria, Daintree's Kidney, 

 and Rivers's Royal Ashleaf, and that fine sort Taylor's Yorkshire 

 Hero, representing four generations — viz., tubers of this year, of last 

 year, and of 18G6. Some of the last were actually producing "young 

 ; Potatoes " internally, and bursting forth from, so to call it, suppressed 

 I vitality. Mr. Fenn is an indefatigable cross-breeder of Potatoes, and 

 he has this year originated some two hundred seedlings, many amongst 

 them promising to become very fine sorts. 



Mr. Fenn's collection of what he so happily terms " garden eco- 

 nomics " had an especial interest. We will first mention an assort- 

 ment of British home-made wines, consisting of Grape, Gooseberry, and 

 Rhubarb, and Rhubarb and Gooseberry mixed in imitation of Cham- 

 pagne. Several of these were pronounced by a jury then and there 

 assembled as being of veiy fine quality. In English Champagne 

 wines Mr. Fenn may be termed great, aud some of his stocks might 

 compete with what are occasionally thought to be the finest brands of 

 continental production. We were treated to an Esperione port, which 

 had been laid down in bottle three years. It was really a fine wine, 

 and the bottle showed a good " crust ;" also Esperione Grape wine of 

 1866 drawn from the wood (a thirty -three -gallon cask), now in use for 

 daily table pnqioses. In partaking of these innocuous wholesome 

 beverages the Judges, by their rosy countenances and liveliness, indi- 

 cated that the wines were not without strength. Furthermore, as like 

 is said to beget like, a competition was brought about by the Rer. 

 W. A. Plumptre, Mr. J. Parker, and Mr. J. Morris, all of Woodstock, 

 sending samples of the above-named wines made after Mr. Fenn's 

 methods. Excellent characters were awarded to some of the samples ; 

 those of Mr. Plumptre's effervescing Esperione wine being considered 

 so palatable that not a glass was left in the bottles to tell a tale ! Mr. 

 Fenn has given to the world his methods of manufacturing these wines 

 in Nos. 589, 592 (old series), and 235, 236 of The Journal of Hob- 

 tic ulture. 



Another branch of Mr. Fenn's " garden economics " exhibited was 

 a system of bee-keeping, comprising " Fenn's Woodstock Alliance 

 Hive, adapted for cottagers, on the depriving system, without de- 

 stroying the bees, and showing the domestic economy derived from it." 

 Finding as the result of several years' experience that the improved 

 principles of Payne's and other cottage hives, in so far as they had 

 become developed, were, according to his idea, still defective, he set 

 himself to further improve a cottage hive to his ideal standard. Hia 

 " Alliance hive " seems to answer exactly the end sought. Virgin 

 honeycombs were exhibited in glass and straw supers upon the tops ofl 

 the liives, to explain exactly how the bees worked in them. There 



* A proof of this poverty of language is visible in the words used in our 

 translation for psychikon aud ptwumatikon, natural aud spiritual, their 

 proper meaning being a body with a soul, and a body with a spirit. 



