196 ON FUNGI. 



analogy, merely because we are not able to prove the fact in the 

 same way. This is surely most unphilosophical, not to say false 

 reasoning. 



I have now to notice the last argument which is more imme- 

 diately of interest, as involving the objection and fact mentioned 

 by Cryptos. The general argument is no argument at all, for 

 first it presupposes a fact, which the investigations of the most 

 accurate observers go t6 disprove, namely, that the sporules can 

 reach no place impervious to the atmosphere ; and secondly; it 

 implies that because we do not know how the sporules get to any 

 such place, they are therefore not there ; hence the inference 

 drawn from the particular fact is not d priori, necessarily a true 

 one ; and to show that it is probably a false one, merely requires 

 that a reasonable explanation warranted by the observations of 

 botanists should be given of it, such an explanation Cryptos him- 

 self supplies. The Fungus was found in the core of the apple, 

 with which there was, in the earlier state of the fruit, a direct 

 communication from the exterior ; and not only a passage, but 

 there were pollen tubes passing through it to the centre of the 

 germen, which we have no reason for supposing could not have 

 been accompanied by the sporules of the Fungus. If the pollen 

 tubes were provided with a contrivance for finding their way in- 

 wards, why should not the sporules of the Fungus be provided 

 with a similar one ? Or do we know that the sporules might not 

 have attached themselves to the substance of the pollen grains ? 

 We might as well assert the impossibility of travelling from York 

 to London, although there is a direct road, not to mention the 

 vehicles continually traversing it! That the explanation does 

 not appear plausible is no proof of its being erroneous. It is 

 conformable with other observed facts, and therefore not to be at 

 once rejected merely for lack of plausibility ; the degree of 

 plausibility being a matter of opinion, and dependant much on 

 the knowledge of the subject possessed by the observer. Who 

 would suppose that the earth moves round the sun ? surely that 

 fact has little enough plausibility on the face of it ! But even 

 should this explanation be rejected, there is yet another which 

 will sufficiently account for the fact, from the recent observations 

 of Bauer, in Germany, and of Messrs. Queckett and Smith among 

 us, it appears more than probable that Fungi are propagated on 

 other plants by their sporules being imbibed along with water by 

 ihe spongioles of the root, which on further devolopement of the 



