MARRIAGE AMONG THE CLOVERS 95 



variety to be found within the limits of a single 

 type. 



To begin with, however, I propose to examine, 

 as a mere introduction, a couple of flowers of a 

 well-known and dainty hot-house begonia, which 

 may help us to the comprehension of the more 

 plebeian clover-heads. Proverbial philosophy has 

 long since taught us that " the longest way round 

 is the shortest way home " ; and when I drag in 

 the begonia, which has apparently so little con- 

 nection with clover, and which is really about as 

 unrelated to it by descent as two flowering plants 

 can well be to one another, you may suspect that 

 I do so for some sufficient reason. The fact is, 

 begonias happen to be plants in which the differ- 

 ences of the sexes are exceptionally well marked, 

 so that they may be apprehended with ease by the 

 naked eye and by every observer, even the most 

 casual. I advise those who have conservatories of 

 their own to verify my statements in this matter 

 on the specimens in their possession ; for those 

 who have not, Mr. Knock's excellent illustrations, 

 which accompany this paper, will serve almost as 

 well as the original objects. 



Most cultivated begonias have the flowers on 

 their branches arranged in groups or clusters of 

 three, the central one of which is often a female, 

 while the two outer blossoms are usually males. 

 This is the ordinary plan, but it does not hold good 

 of all the species, some of which, on the contrary, 

 have only one male to each pair of females. Now, 

 these male and female flowers are so very unlike in 



