1086 



All individual being thus indofinitely multiplied, and the exist- 

 ence of each portion of the individual thus commencing, as it were, 

 de novo, it seems not unlikely that we should forget the bond of 

 unity existing between the disjointed members, or that we should 

 consider each member in the light of an independent being. This 

 idea, however, is not logical. It needs but a moment's reflection to 

 be assured that the individual is merely dismembered ; and that if 

 perchance it has produced offspring, those offspring belong altogether 

 to another category, each having an individuality of its own. Thus, 

 for example, the offspring of a nonpareil would perchance resemble a 

 golden pippin, a golden knob, a Ribstone pippin, a Downton pippin, 

 or some other pippin. Tt certainly would not be either of these, be- 

 cause such pippins, like the nonpareil, are simply individuals; and it 

 as certainly would not be a nonpareil, because the term " nonpareil " 

 attaches to an individual only, and its disjointed members. We thus 

 arrive at the conclusion that those apples, which Mr. Knight said were 

 dying out, or would die out, were individuals only, and have nothing 

 whatever in common with species, not being capable of reproducing 

 their kind. To this we have only to add, that the experience of every 

 gray-headed horticulturist with whom we have conversed, whether in 

 Sussex, Devonshire, or Herefordshire, confirms and corroborates Mr. 

 Knight's statement, and leads us to regard him as the most philoso- 

 phical, as well as the soundest practical, horticulturist that the world 

 has produced ; and we hold his recommendation to continue the mul- 

 tiplication of individuals from seed, with a view to securing a suc- 

 cession of useful plants and beautiful flowers, to be the very keystone 

 of modern horticulture, and, more than that, the main source of that 

 revenue which is accruing from the publication of such works as the 

 ' Gardeners' Chronicle.' 



The following passage, also, is as erroneous botanically as those 

 we have already cited are fallacious in a geological or horticultural 

 point of view : — " Another plant bends its branches to the ground ; 

 the branches put forth roots, and as soon as these roots are esta- 

 blished the connexion between parent and offspring is broken, and a 

 new plant springs into independent existence." Now, the banyan- 

 tree is the most familiar instance of this peculiarity, yet serves but as 

 the type of a thousand others in which these supplementary roots, 

 put forth by the branches, serve to support the parent, and prolong 

 an existence with which their own is absolutely identified. It is true 

 that the ' Gardeners' Chronicle ' does not claim to be regarded as an 

 oracle on scientific questions ; but some care should be taken that 



