68 THE MAGAZINE OF HORTICULTURE. 



begun — adieu to all that the painter admires ; to all intrica- 

 cies ; to all the beautiful varieties of form, tint, and light 

 and shade ! Every deep recess ; every bold projection ; the 

 fantastic roots ■ of trees ; the winding paths of sheep ; — all 

 must go ; and in a few hours, the rash hand of false taste 

 demolishes what time only and a thousand lucky accidents 

 can mature. 



IMPROVEMENT AND PRESERVATION OF SPECIES.— No. II. 



BY A. R. P. 



Mr. Editor, — Without going over the ground which was 

 examined in a former communication, it may be well, before 

 accepting your invitation to proceed, to restate at least the 

 general principles upon which we are to work. They are, 

 1. That every vegetable production is capable of improve- 

 ment in the peculiar qualities which distinguish it from other 

 productions, not only as an individual, but as the representa- 

 tive of a variety. 2. That, while the dividing lines are 

 properly observed between different species, the varieties, 

 which may be regarded as offspring of a common parentage, 

 are disposed to run into each other ; and, by mixture in the 

 blossoming, to transmit to young plants raised from seed 

 new qualities, which may be either better or worse than the 

 parents. 



The first principle applies as well to varieties usually pro- 

 pagated and perpetuated by offsets, or scions, as to varieties 

 always raised from seed. The second applies not only to 

 sorts which are obviously prone to hybridization, but also to 

 many, if not to all, in which the effect of the mixture is not 

 at once so apparent. And so there are no conditions which 

 do not seem to demand more attention to seed-culture. 



The next question is, will every plant produce seed from 

 which may be raised a new plant of the same variety with 

 itself? The readiest answer to this question seems to be, 

 that it would interrupt all our ideas of fitness, and all the 



