Primrose, Oxlip, Cowslip, and Polyanthus. 409 
single flowers were somewhat smaller, and more deeply co- 
loured, than those of the common primrose. After flowering 
the root decayed, and the plant separated into several smaller 
parts, which were transplanted, and have since flowered ; each 
having both single and compound scapes. I may here ob- 
serve, that plants with both single and compound scapes are 
very common in this neighbourhood, similar to that figured in 
the Flora Londinénsis, which Dr. Hooker there styles the 
oxlip, and Sir Jas. Smith, 1 in the inglish Flora, considers to be 
a variety of the primrose. 
I now collected the seed of some cowslips which were grow- 
ing in a shady part of my garden, and sowed them ina similar 
SHAGon, From this seed T have raised several plants, vary ing 
very considerably in their character. One is a perfect prim 
rose; and all the rest approach, more or less, to the light- 
coloured variety of Westhoe. Not one has the decided 
character of the common cowslip. 
I am not aware of any defect in the experiment from which 
this result has been obtained; but if the utmost accuracy be 
required by any one who may be still sceptical, I should re- 
commend him to repeat the experiment, with the additional 
precaution of protecting the cowslips to be seeded from the 
approach of insects, that every possibility of the seedlings 
being hybrids may be avoided. ‘The seed should be sown in 
a moist situation, and selected also from plants thus cireum- 
stanced ; since it seems probable that such a combination of 
circumstances is better adapted to secure the developement of 
the characters of the primrose. The process which Mr. Her- 
bert adopted, of highly manuring the cowslip from which his 
seed was selected, may possibly be stilt more likely to insure 
success. 
If any of your correspondents can be prevailed upon to 
repeat these experiments in different parts of England, and 
favour you with the results, whether successful or not, they 
may do good service towards the final elucidation of ane sub- 
jects and should Mr. Herbert ever present the public with a 
more detailed account of his own observations, he would confer 
an invaluable benefit upon those who wish to prosecute the 
enquir y- The best form for registering a series of such expe- 
riments, for the convenience of reference and comparison, 
would be, to class them numerically under different genera, 
and throw the remarks and occasional observations under 
separate heads, arranged as a table, being careful not to omit 
the mention of all the failures or unsatisfactory results. 
I am, Sir, &c. 
J. S. HENstow. 
Vou. IIT. — No. 15. FE 
