446 THE SURVIVAL OF THE UNLIKE. [XXVIII. 



insidious internal disease, the exact nature of which 

 is unknown, but which is readily transferred in cut- 

 tings. Here, then, is the probable explanation of 

 the running out of the Buttercup. 



I have said that carnations, like other plants, may 

 lose their vigor because of improper handling. It is 

 a common opinion that the nature of the cutting, its 

 age, and its position upon the parent plant, exert a 

 powerful influence upon the resulting plant. On 

 February 26, 1892, a flowering yearling plant of 

 Hinze's White, pot grown, was selected for experi- 

 ment. Three batches of cuttings were taken from it 

 — (a) from the tips of the strong sterile shoots 

 springing from the root; (b) from the lateral shoots 

 about an inch and a half long which sprung from 

 the flowering stems ; and (c) from pieces of the 

 flower stems themselves. These cuttings were placed 

 side by side in the cutting bench ; all were set out 

 of doors June 23d, and all were brought into the 

 house October 10th. At this writing (February 18th, 

 1893) the following notes are taken : 



(a) Cuttings from strong bottom shoots. — Plants 

 the most vigorous of the lots, with broader grass 

 and stockier shoots than any others. Plants full of 

 buds, but no bloom yet. 



(b) Cuttings from lateral shoots. — Somewhat less 

 vigorous than lot (a) with narrower grass, but bloom- 

 ing freely now, and as well set with buds as the 

 first lot. 



(c) Cuttings of flower stems. — Plants weak and 

 poor, with no bloom yet and little promise for the 

 future. 



Here, then, is a decided variation between cutting- 



