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it is also indisputable that roots of the primrose have been seen bear- 

 ing both cowslips and oxlips along with their own proper flowers, yet 

 the tendency to metamorphosis would appear to be very strongly ex- 

 erted towards the cowslip termination of the series, and very feebly 

 in the direction of the primrose extremity, as I cannot call to mind a 

 single recorded instance of the seed of a genuine cowslip reverting to 

 the absolute simple primrose of our hedgerows. The effect of culti- 

 vation on the Primula seems that of causing it to oscillate betwixt the 

 extreme types in various degrees, as may be seen from the very inte- 

 resting, and, to myself, convincing experiments of Mr. H. C. Watson. 

 In one of these trials (Phytol. ii. 217), a caulescent variety of P. vul- 

 garis, but approaching nearer in character to the cowslip than to the 

 primrose, produced eighty-eight seedlings, five of which proved genu- 

 ine cowslips, twenty true primroses, and the remaining sixty-three a 

 sliding series of intermediates betwixt cowslips and primroses. Here 

 a middle form was selected, and it is somewhat remarkable that with 

 a leaning in the parent towards the cowslip conformation, the progeny 

 should tend to assume the features of the primrose. In another ex- 

 periment (Phytol. ii. 852), a true cowslip being taken, the results were 

 less satisfactory, as but a very few of the seedlings flowered. As far, 

 however, as could be seen, the entire progeny retained the main cha- 

 racteristics of the parent cowslip, with just that degree of deviation 

 towards the opposite or primrose type which might have been antici- 

 pated ; — they became oxlips. I would beg to suggest to Mr. Watson 

 a repetition of this latter experiment, and that one of the resulting 

 oxlips be tested in like manner with the subject of the former trial, 

 in order to see whether the series might be carried on as in that, to 

 the production of genuine primroses and cowslips from the same in- 

 termediate form, but produced by culture from an extreme type. The 

 primrose, it is well known, is absent from all the interior regions of 

 northern Europe, where the cowslip is indigenous ; it would be very 

 desirable to obtain cowslip seed from these parts, say Moscow, for 

 example, and try whether the primrose type of the species might not 

 be derivable from it in our maritime climate by the process of cultiva- 

 tion just alluded to. This would settle the question, if it be not so 

 already in the mind of every unprejudiced person, beyond all further 

 controversy, were it not that primroses and cowslips are so different 

 to common eyes and in popular belief, from our earliest dallyings with 

 them in our infant rambles, and our first affections so bound up with 

 their individuality, that overpowering indeed must the evidence be 

 that could induce the mass of mankind to forego their reliance on the 



