VI 



but excited no kiiitl of interest, and I only allude to them for the 

 purpose of showing that the failure of the crop has not been so sud- 

 den as it is generally supposed. Even from the excess of evil may 

 arise some good : perhaps this sad lesson may teach the poor Irish- 

 man to depend less entirely on the potato and more on the labour of 

 his hands as a means of sustenance. 



The Rubus fruticosus has obtained an unusual share of regard, and 

 Mr. Babington has put forth an ingenious pamphlet on its so-called 

 species and varieties. Admitting the full merit of Mr. Babington's 

 essay as a lucid resume of prior publications, accompanied by judi- 

 cious original remarks; I still venture to doubt its utility as a contri- 

 bution to science, believing that the descriptions apply, in almost 

 every instance, to individuals, or to some half-dozen or dozen some- 

 what similar individuals, and not to those larger groups of indivi- 

 duals which appear under the same constant form in all parts of the 

 kingdom, and which perpetuate that form from generation to genera- 

 tion. I think we are quite without proof that any species, subspecies 

 or variety of the common bramble transmits its characters to its de- 

 scendants : in fact, the few experiments within the range of ray own 

 experience go to prove that the forms of brambles are not transmit- 

 table by seed, but that the produce of one form exhibits many forms. 

 I am aware that portions of an individual retain the peculiarities of 

 that individual, but this appears very unimportant ; for our apples, 

 pears, gooseberries, dahlias, calceolarias and fuchsias do the same. 



The three controverted British species of CEnanthe have been 

 again discussed, and it has become evident that the perfectly simple 

 roots, as compared with others partially incrassated, do not indicate 

 specific distinction. It appears that the roots of all the species are, 

 if not invariably, at least generally, perfectly simple at first. The 

 error has arisen from contrasting different states or stages of growth : 

 a practice of which I have frequently ventured to disapprove, sug- 

 gesting that the objects compared should always be in a correspond- 

 ing state as regards their approach towards maturity. 



