ON THE EFFECTS OF HIGH TEMPERATURE ON SOME PLANTS. 239 



the preceding species, to support either male or female flowers, in 

 obedience to external causes. 



The Guernsey Lily. I transferred plants of this species, from the open 

 air to the hot-house, in the summer, with the hope of obtaining seeds, in 

 which I was wholly disappointed. The flowers expanded very beautifully; 

 but their pollen never shedded- The plants have, nevertheless, subse- 

 quently grown with more than ordinary vigour ; and I entertain scarcely 

 any doubt that the same roots which afforded flowers in the present 

 season, will blossom strongly in the next. It appears therefore from this, 

 and the two preceding experiments, that the same degree of temperature, 

 which may promote the growth, and exuberant health of the plant, may, 

 at the same time, render it wholly unproductive of fruit or offspring. 



The Fig Tree. Several varieties of this species were subjected to 

 experiment ; but the trees, although planted in pots, grew with so much 

 luxuriance, and afforded me so little prospect of fruit, that I removed all 

 except those of the large white variety, from the house. The white fig- 

 tree succeeded perfectly, first ripening its spring-figs, (those which usually 

 ripen in the open air in this country,) and afterwards its summer figs. 

 The trees then produced new leaves and branches : and the fruit, which 

 would have appeared in the next spring, ripened in high perfection in 

 September. Subsequently also a few of those, which, in the ordinary 

 course of the growth of the tree, would have appeared as the summer 

 crop of next year, have ripened, and these, though far inferior to those 

 of the preceding crops, have not been without merit. 



The Nectarine. A seed of this species of fruit was planted in a hot- 

 bed, in January last, and it vegetated in the succeeding month. It was 

 subsequently removed to the hot-house, in which it continued to grow 

 through the summer, without being in the smallest degree drawn by the 

 high temperature in which it was placed : its wood, on the contrary, is 

 remarkably short-jointed, and is covered with blossom-buds ; from which 

 I think it will be practicable to obtain ripe fruit, within sixteen months 

 of the period, at which the plant first sprang from the ground. 



The Orange and Lemon. A very high temperature appeared peculiarly 

 favourable to plants of these species, or, I believe, more properly of this 

 species ; for I consider both, with the citron and shaddock, to be varieties 

 only of the lime. A plant which sprang from seed in March, had, in the 

 end of August, attained the height of more than four feet, with pro- 

 portionate strength ; when wanting the place it occupied for another 

 purpose, it was removed from the house. I obtained in April a plant of 

 the China orange, with one very small fruit upon it, which has ripened 



