309 . 



thickly studding the faiiy-hke tracery of its leaves, and its pods very 

 iniiltitudinous — those of the larger description containing generally 

 only one, and those of the smaller or favorite kind always two, small 

 grains or peas. The attention directed to these efforts by the ' Scot- 

 tish Agricultural Journal' has not proved fruitless, for the subject has 

 been brought before the Highland and Agricultural Society of Scot- 

 land. Specimens of the produce have been requested (and sent) for 

 the Great Exhibition of 1851, and the matter has been warmly taken 

 up by the press ; so that some of our enterprising agriculturists will 

 doubtless follow up the enthusiastic effort of this intelligent French 

 gentleman, by practically adding a new crop to those grown for food 

 in Britain. 



Natural Systems of Plants. 

 By Jamss L. Drummond, M.D., &c., &c. 



"What's in a name ?" — There may be much, either for good or 

 evil. Mirabeau asserted that names were things, and the disciples of 

 those systems of botany called natural seem to cling strongly to that 

 idea; and hence, though they admit the word natural to be a misno- 

 mer, it is much too valuable to be parted with : they confess the im- 

 propriety of the term, but continue to hug it with parental affection. 

 An attempt, indeed, is made to slur the matter over by telling us that 

 the word natural, in their vocabulary, does not mean natural at all. 

 Why, then, is it not abandoned ? We are gravely informed that 

 "Nature recognises no such groups" as those found in their works on 

 natural systems ; that of this system " Nature herself, who creates 

 species only, knows nothing;" and that " the natural system is a chi- 

 rasera," but that certain principles being carried into effect, " the 

 result will be a natural system." But what are these principles } 

 Every fabricator of such systems lays down what he calls principles, 

 either of his own, or taken partly from the so-called principles of 

 others. But where do we find mention of a natural system ? — is so 

 modest a title ever made use of? Even so, it would still be a misno- 

 mer. " What then is a natural system } If no system exists in 

 nature, whence this misnomer .? That no such system exists is 

 abundantly evident, yet botanists speak of it as a settled thing ; and 

 strange to say, every time such system is propounded, it is always 

 perfect, — no link is wanting to bind its parts into a harmonious whole, 



