ON THE GROWTH OF PLANTS. 25 



the lilac variety of V. odorata, much to the astonishment of my gardener 

 who planted most of them for V. hirta ; however, as these were not planted 

 under my own superintendence, I cannot answer for the results, though I 

 quite think that Mr. Bentham's remarks under the head of V. hirta, are not 

 without foundation ; they are as follows : — " Hairy Violet, Viola hirta, Linn. 

 Very near the sweet violet, and most probably a mere variety." This seems 

 confirmed by the immense varieties on theGreatOolites and the Forest Marble 

 clays of this district, presented by both odorata and hirta. These then are 

 reserved as subjects for future experiment, to which end a quantity of seeds 

 are collected. 



Plot I. Myosotis. — Some years since I was charmed with the appearance of 

 a tuft of Myosotis which I saw at my nurseryman's, since which time I have 

 always had some of it in cultivation as early spring flower. My specimens 

 were allowed to seed on the ground, and the young plants are shifted about 

 when required for garden decoration. Now it is remarkable that the original 

 roots are perfectly perennial, but the seedlings at best are only sub-perennial. 

 In most the seed comes up the same summer that it has been scattered, and 

 flowers, seeds and dies the next spring, which indeed is precisely the habit 

 of Myosotis arvensis ; and hence I conclude that the original plants, if pro- 

 pagated by slips, the usual gardeners' method, would be the M. sylvatica of 

 authors, the seedling the large-flowered form of M. arvensis. In other words, 

 I think these experiments tend to show that these two supposed species are 

 but varieties, an idea indeed which Sir W. Hooker seems to favour in the 

 5th edition of his ' British Flora.' 



In as far as my experiments have progressed with these plants, I am 

 induced to adopt Mr. Bentham's view, that the M.alpestris (Schmidt) is the 

 larger flowered form of M. sylvatica ; for as the old stock of our favourite 

 seemed to be diminishing in the size and intensity of the colour of its flowers, 

 I have this year introduced some M. alpestris from a friend's garden, and I 

 fully expect the seedlings of this to take on the following declension : — 



M.palustris? (perennial). 



M. alpestris (perennial). 



M. sylvatica (sub-perennial and annual). 



M. arvensis, fl. maxima (annual). 

 M. arvensis, fl. minor (annual). 



Of the three last of these descents I am perfectly clear, and Mr. Bentham, 

 under the Myosotis sylvatica, has the following remarks : — " It varies much 

 in size and stature ; in lower shady situations, and in our gardens, the stems 

 will attain a foot or more in length with rather small flowers. The alpine 

 form, with larger flowers, is by some distinguished as a species under the 

 name of M. alpestris*." — Handbook, p. 377. 



In this genus then we may expect to find some interesting results from 

 experiments, as a further contribution to which end I hope to get seeds 

 of the M.palustris for garden culture, some experiments of this kind in a 

 garden I have left inclining me to think this water form as not so distinct 

 from the terrestrial ones as some may think. 



Plot J. Datura Tatula, Purple Thorn-Apple. — The crop of this season is 

 from seed supplied by Butler of Covent Garden ; it is at least twice the size 

 of that which was previously reported upon, and the flowers and whole plant 



* This view is also shared by Mr. Babington. 



