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of some further botanical experiments conducted by Professor 
Buckman in the Gardens of the Royal Agricultural College at 
Cirencester. The first has reference to the mode of growth of 
“Flax Dodder” seed, the method of its germination, and how 
it attacks its foster-parent and establishes itself. This has been 
made the subject of experiment, and a most elaborate article has 
been written thereon in the Agricultural Gazette. This, together 
with remarks upon about 200 experimental “plots,” will be 
published in the reports to the British Association, which the 
Cotteswold Club may be pleased to know has made a grant of 
Ten Pounds towards defraying the expenses of these investigations 
in the Gardens of the Royal Agricultural College. 
The next experiment by Professor Buckman is one of more 
than usual value and importance, as it has had for its object the 
ennobling of a wild root; and its complete success is of the 
highest interest, as bearing directly upon the intricate question 
of the origin of many of our culinary herbs and fruits, the 
descent of which, from their wild congeuers, has always been a 
subject of doubt and difficulty, it being by many believed that 
the wild plant, though cultivated for ever so long, will never 
produce an esculent variety. The Wild Carrot—Daucus carrota ; 
and the Wild Parsnip— Pastinaca sativa, are amongst those 
whose absolute specific identity with the cultivated varieties 
appears to be indisputable, having all the characters in common 
excepting that of being fit for food. The Carrot, I believe, has 
hitherto resisted all attempts at civilization, and continues 
obdurate and intractable; though I do not despair of hearing 
that under Professor Buckman’s superintendence and persuasive 
manipulation, the refactory nature of the plant has been over- 
come, and that a new variety of that useful esculent has been 
added to our list of culinary roots. 
With the Parsnip, however, the learned Professor has been 
entirely successful, and the “ennobling” of Wild Parsnips 
has this year arrived at such perfection, that a new variety of the 
root has been established, and the seed of it can be obtained 
from Messrs. Sutton, of Reading, under the title of “ The Student 
Parsnip,” which is reported to be a most compactly formed root, 
of a clear unbranched outline, and of a fine flavour. 
It will not have escaped observation how large a portion of the 
foregoing pages is dedicated to the records of Geology. This is 
no doubt a most attractive science. The objects which it embraces 
are amongst the grandest and most exciting to the imagination 
to which the intellect of man can apply itself. It has been 
remarked that Geology ranks next to Astronomy in the sublimity 
of the facts of which it takes cognisance. Looking, moreover, 
to the almost perfect development of the geological series in 
some of its most important epochs, as displayed in this county, 
and further at the vast bulk of geological history exposed for 
