vi REVERSION 63 



some years. In these little plants the internodes are very 

 short and the stems are few in number, and attain to a 

 length of only 9-10 inches. In course of growth they 

 diverge from one another, and come to lie prostrate on 

 the ground (PI. II., 2). Curiously enough, although the 

 whole plant is dwarfed in other respects, this does not 

 seem to affect the size of the flower, which is that of a 

 normal sweet pea. Another though less-known variety is 

 the "Bush" sweet pea. Its name is derived from its 

 habit of growth. The numerous stems do not diverge 

 from one another, but all grow up side by side, giving 

 the plant the appearance of a compact bush (PI. II., i). 

 Under ordinary conditions it attains a height of 3^-4 

 feet. A number of crosses were made between the Bush 



Bush X Cupid 



Tall F, 



Tall Bush Cupid Cupid F 2 



(procumbent) (erect) 

 (9) (3) (3) (i) 



and Cupid varieties, with the somewhat unexpected result 

 that in every instance the FI plants showed complete 

 reversion to the size and habit of the ordinary tall sweet 

 pea (PI. II., 3), which is the form of the wild plant as it 

 occurs in Sicily to-day. The F 2 generation from these 

 reversionary tails consisted of four different types, viz. 



