846 



village of Stainforth : Hieracium Lawsoni, Smith, is abundant at the 

 same place. — Id. 



432. Observations on the dissemination of Seeds of Plants. As a 

 question has been raised by Dr. Bromfield, whether it be right to 

 " assist nature in the dissemination of plants " (Phytol. 806), and this 

 being a question on which it seems desirable that botanists should 

 make up their minds, I think it may not be amiss to discuss it at great- 

 er length than has been done by that gentleman, especially as he has 

 taken the negative side. The main reason given by Dr. Bromfield 

 for entertaining this opinion, is the confusion which would be created 

 in Vegetable Geography, if botanists yvexe to take upon themselves to 

 scatter seeds. It is true that another reason is glanced at, but in re- 

 ference to this perhaps I may be allowed to say, that I cannot see any 

 greater moral iniquity in sowing seeds to gratify the eye, than in sow- 

 ing them to gratify the palate. With respect to Vegetable Geography, 

 the most interesting part is that which treats of the affinity of certain 

 plants for certain soils ; and it appears to me that this is not only 

 Qiot endangered by the course which Dr. Bromfield denounces, but 

 that it is assisted rather than otherwise. Thus, the seeds of a plant 

 found usually on a gravelly or sandy soil, are perhaps sown by the 

 botanist on a chalky soil, where, if they germinate and flourish, an 

 error maybe corrected by its being shown that such a plant is not so 

 peculiar to a sandy or gravelly soil, as that it will not flourish upon a 

 chalky one ; on the other hand, if the seeds perish, or if the plants 

 produced from them do not flourish, there is at least strong presump- 

 tive evidence that the chalky soil is not adapted for their growth. In 

 either case, it is not likely that a botanist will be led into an eiTor in 

 this respect. As to the geographical distribution of plants, a study 

 which, when separated from the other branch of the subject, is a mat- 

 ter of much less interest, it can never, I think, be endangered by the 

 occasional assistance afforded by botanists in the production of plants, 

 especially if they make known (as they should do) the fact of their 

 having given such assistance ; but even if this information were with- 

 held, the fact of such assistance having been rendered would in most 

 cases be apparent, especially if the plants disseminated are known to be 

 otherwise peculiar to other countries. There is another objection stated 

 by Dr. Bromfield, namely, that the working botanist is misled and dis- 

 appointed, in finding that he has in reality only discovered an artifi- 

 cial station, when he had flattered himself he had met with a new 

 natural one. It is true, that in such a case, the botanist will in all 

 probability undergo some disappointment, and that this disappoint- 



