ON THE DEGENERATION 



continuity of vessels through which the sap passes. The 

 petals in which this adhesion so frequently occurs have no 

 liber ; and this, you know, is essential to the process of 

 grafting, as it is through the vessels of the liber that the 

 cambium descends. 



Another species of monstrosity arises from a want of 

 vigor in the plant to bring all its parts to maturity. That 

 which most commonly fails is the seed, which is produced 

 in such abundance, and requires so much nourishment 

 to ripen, that the greater part perishes in the bosom of 

 the flower. The blossom of the horse-chesnut, for in- 

 stance, contain six seeds, enclosed in three cells ; but one 

 only, or at most two, come to maturity. It is the same 

 with the oak ; it has six seeds, but only one acorn is 

 brought to perfection. 



Caroline. And to what cause is the want of develope- 

 ment owing ? If the plant be incapable of ripening so 

 many seeds, why has Nature furnished it with so useless 

 an abundance ? 



Mrs. B. The causes of these abortions are probably 

 numerous ; but the principal one is, no doubt, a deficien- 

 cy of nourishment. Yet so far from inferring that such 

 failures imply a want of regularity in the laws of nature, 

 it is to them that we are indebted for one of the most effi- 

 cient means of ascertaining the order which reigns in the 

 natural world. 



A third species of monstrosity results from a degenera- 

 tion of the ogans, which disables them from fulfilling the 

 purpose for which Nature originally designed them. Thus, 

 in some plants, the leaves do not sprout, and the stem, 

 receiving the nourishment which the leaves should have 

 absorbed, swells out to a considerable size, and expands 

 like leaves. The Xylophylla and the Cactus opuntia are 

 constantly in this state. It is said, that the leaves of 

 these plants bear flowers ; but. the fact is, they have no 

 leaves ; the flowers grow on the expanded stems. 



Flowers having double blossoms are also classed among 

 the tribe of monsters. This arises from the stamens being 

 too abundantly nourished. They swell out, flatten, and 



1563. What is metioned of the convolvulus as forming a specimen of 

 this 1 ? 1564. How does this union take place 1 ? 1565. What is 

 another species of this monstrosity'? 1566. What is said of the horse 

 chesnut and the oak as furnishing instances of this 1 ? 1567. What are 

 the causes of these abortions, and what is said of them'? 1568. From 

 what results a third species of monstrosity! 



