TRANSMUTATION OF PLANTS, 111 



with a new discussion of all these particulars: 

 for the sake of brevity, let me meet the call which 

 the opponents of the development theory usually 

 make, to give it the direct proof which would be 

 afforded by showing one instance, either of the 

 origin of life or the transmutation of species. 



The objection of the Edinbiugh reviewer, to 

 the alleged transmutation of oats into rye, is that 

 he believes it a fable. This is the opinion of one 

 person, advanced without fact or argiunent to 

 support it. Let us see, on the other hand, what a 

 greater authority on botanical subjects than he — 

 namely. Dr. Lindley — has stated on the same sub- 

 ject. " At the request," says this learned person, 

 " of the Marquis of Bristol, the Reverend Lord 

 Artliiu Hervey, in the year 1843, sowed a handful 

 of oats, treated them in the manner reconunended, 

 by continually stopping the flowering stems, and 

 the produce, in 1844, has been for the most part 

 ears of a very slender barley, having much the 

 appearance of rye, with a little wheat, and some 

 oats ; samples of which are, by the favoiu- of Lord 

 Bristol, now before us." The learned writer then 

 adverts to the " extraordinary, but certain fact, 

 that in orchidaceous plants, forms just as different 

 as wheat, barley, rye, and oats, have been proved 



