18 COHESION. 
instances of the union of two, and of only two, stems 
where the internal appearance was the same as in other 
fasciations. 
Moquin, moreover, raises the objection that it is 
unlikely that several branches should become united 
lengthwise in one plane only, and, further, that in the 
oveater number of fasciations all the other branches 
which should be present are to be found—not one is 
wanting, not one has disappeared, as might have been 
anticipated had fusion taken place. In raising this 
objection, Moquin seems not sufficiently to have con- 
sidered the circumstance that the buds in these cases 
are in one plane from the first, and are all about equal 
in point of age and size. 
The last objection that Moquin raises to the opinion 
that fasciation is the result of a grafting process is, that 
in such a case, examples should be found wherein the 
branches are incompletely fused, and where on a trans- 
verse section traces of the medullary canals belonging 
to each branch should be visible. The arrangement of 
leaves or buds on the surface should also in such a case 
indicate a fusion of several spiral cycles or whorls. 
To this it may be replied that such cases are met with 
very frequently indeed. A figure is given by DeCandolle’ 
of a stem of Spartiwm junceum haying several branches 
only imperfectly fasciated. 
Fasciated stems, then, seem to be best oxplenieal as 
is stated by Prof. Hincks, ‘on the principle of adhesion 
arising in cases where from superabundant nourish- 
ment, especially if accompanied by some check or 
injury, numerous buds have been produced in close 
proximity, and the supposition that these growths are 
produced by the dilatation of a single stem is founded 
on a false analogy between fasciated stems and certain 
other anomalous growths.” 
It will not, of course, be forgotten that this fasciated 
condition occurs so frequently in some plants as almost 
to constitute their natural state, e.g. Sedwm cristatum, 
1 «Organ. Végét.,’ pl. iii, fig. 1. 
