342 SEXUALITY OF VEGETABLES. CHAP. VI. 



multiplication by means of division, as in the case 

 of the Polypi : and although plants are capable of 

 being multiplied in this manner, it is no proof that 

 they may not be propagated by means of sexual 

 intercourse also. 



Refuted. Such is the futility of Mr. Smellie's reasoning on 

 this interesting and important subject, in which the 

 reader will perceive that every thing is hypothetical. 

 But at length we come to the boasted and long ex- 

 pected experiment which is to outweigh the whole 

 body of evidence for the doctrine of the sexes, 

 whether as adduced by Linnaeus or others. And 

 what is this boasted experiment ? It is that of a 

 female plant of the Lychnis dioica, which was placed 

 by Mr. Smellie in a spot so situated that no male 

 plant of the same species was known to grow within 

 a mile of it, and which yet produced seeds. It is to 

 be recollected, however, that the experiment did not 

 succeed with Mr. Smellie himself; but when the 

 plant was removed to the garden of Dr. Rutherford 

 at Edinburgh, it succeeded after a year or two of ex- 

 pectation. But where is the proof that there was 

 no male plant within a mile of it during the whole 

 time of experiment ; which, if it could be produced, 

 would be but of little avail, as we are not told after 

 all whether the seed was capable of germination. 

 By the op- Lastly, the doctrine of the sexes of plants has been 



ponents of , . 



Crypto- objected to as altogether unfounded, upon the pre- 



gamy ' sumption that plants destitute of conspicuous flowers 



are destitute of flowers altogether, and consequently of 



