The Transformation of Plants. 389 



ment merely as an hypothesis, it is certain that jEgilops 

 triticoides, when once produced, if raised from seed year 

 after year, goes on changing till at last it becomes mere 

 •wheat. This is clearly shown by the following concise 

 narrative of what the French naturalist testifies to having 

 witnessed as occurring to the jE. triticoides, derived from 

 JS. ovata. 



First year of cultivation ; 1839. A few grains ripened 

 here and there among the spikelets, which still preserved the 

 brittle character of JEgilops. The return was about fivefold 

 of close-packed concave corn, which was very velvety at the 

 upper end. The beards of the glumes, which are most 

 abundant and remarkable in JEgilops, had begun to alter 

 and disappear. The plants looked exactly like Touzelle 

 wheat. 



Second year ; 1840. The spikelets of this sowing had 

 become more numerous, and each contained two grains ; the 

 ears were less brittle ; the grain was less concave and velvety, 

 and much more floury than in the previous year. The 

 beards of the glumes were further diminished. 



Third sowing; 1841. The changes already described 

 became more evident ; as many as three grains appeared in 

 some of the spikelets ; the plants became more and more like 

 wheat. 



Fourth solving; crop of 1842. Much injured by rust; 

 the beards had so much disappeared that the ears had quite 

 the appearance of beardless Touzelle wheat. 



Fifth sowing ; 1843. The plants were now a yard high, 

 and exactly like wheat ; none of the glumes had more than 

 one beard, with, perhaps, the rudiments of another. The 

 spikelets contained each from two to three grains. The ears 

 had become less brittle. The corn was so large that it pro- 

 truded beyond the chaff; the crop was 180-fold in one case, 

 and 450-fold in another. 



Sixth sowing ; 1844. Changes still went on, but sloAvly. 

 The ears continued brittle, one of the great peculiarities of 

 JEgilops. 



Seventh sowing ; 1845. The plants were very much like 



