652 



borne white flowers. Here is an instance, quite as remarkable as that 

 of Anagallis caerulea not changing colour in some of the experiments 

 on record. I cannot at this distant period sufficiently recall all the 

 precautions I took in the experiment with the cowslip, and if there 

 really was any " hitch," as a correspondent of the ' Phytologist' has 

 suggested, it may possibly have happened that I selected my seed 

 from such a plant as that which Mr. Watson has called the Claygate 

 oxlip, a variety not uncommon near Cambridge ; but I well remem- 

 ber saying to myself whilst I was sowing the seed, " Now if this does 

 change, I will not be persuaded that the result has been obtained 

 from any chance seed in the ground." The Anagallis experiment 

 was so perfectly satisfactory, that I cannot possibly admit there could 

 have been any mistake. " But (I have heard it said) there may be 

 two species, one of which bears either red or blue flowers, and the 

 other is true to blue only" ! Surely this is rather hypothetical, not 

 to say somewhat trifling with positive results. I cannot at the mo- 

 ment recall the circumstances of the experiment, but I am strongly 

 impressed with the notion that Anagallis grandiflora has also been 

 raised from Anagallis Monelli, which would be a precisely analogous 

 example. But perhaps there is a " true blue" Anagallis Monelli, 

 and a turn-coat also ! 



It was once proposed that the late Profesor Don should have been 

 the medium of communication between a group of botanists who were 

 to interchange seeds, and try what effect might be produced by sow- 

 ing certain possible varieties of the same species in different and dis- 

 tant localities. But the scheme was never carried into effect, chiefly 

 owing to poor Don's death. Considering the flourishing crop of bo- 

 tanists of all varieties that has arisen since then, perhaps such of your 

 zealous contributors as have sufficient leisure for reviving the at- 

 tempt, may organize a Cohors Botanicorum for this special purpose. 

 Much may be expected from a carefully-conducted series of experi- 

 ments made with reference to specific identity ; and perhaps some ink 

 and no little discussion will be saved in future if an accurate record 

 of the results obtained were to be inserted, from time to time, in the 

 pages of the * Phytologist.' 



J. S. Henslow. 



Hitcham, Suffolk, September 14, 1849. 



