278 CHANGES WHICH TAKE PLACE IN PLANTS 



and hundreds of plants obtained, which were kept in a 

 cold frame till next spring. Planting them out in May, 

 a few showed flower in the autumn, of the same salmon 

 pink colour of flower as the seed-bearer. Not one flower 

 of the ordinary type was seen either that or the next 

 season. I cultivated this Digitalis for several years, but 

 from want of care it was lost altogether. Two years ago 

 I was rather astonished to see my friend among "my 

 wilderness of flowers" — self sown, and true to character. 

 Carefully the seed was saved, sown, and numerous plants 

 obtained. Amidst a mass of the ordinary form, only six 

 plants of the salmon coloured break were to be seen. Now, 

 no one but myself saved the seed and sowed it, or planted 

 the seedlings outside, so that I can guarantee that no 

 mistake was made. Here was a reversion to the type, 

 arising from what I consider the seed-bearer having got 

 into a wild condition. The question arises, had the seed- 

 bearer been cultivated in good soil, and taken care of, 

 would not all the seedlings have assumed the salmon colour? 

 I cannot tell this, but I suspect it, from former experience. 

 Here, in consequence of allowing the seed-bearer to run 

 wild, a number of "Eogues" showed themselves. The 

 Glen Loxie pink Digitalis was a true instance of the sub- 

 species or sport from the original type, which might have 

 been perpetuated true, had it not been allowed to run 

 wild, sow itself, and finally revert to the original pink 

 type. In my experience I have not found in a true hybrid 

 this tendency to revert to one or other of the parents 

 as in the Digitalis just described, although bj' careful 

 cultivation I consider the salmon pink colour might have 

 been confirmed. 



To take an instance of true stability in a species, I will 

 describe the following example : — About ten years ago, 

 when botanizing in Connemara, west of Ireland, with the 

 Scottish Alpine Glub, we visited Eoundstone, and on 

 Urrisbeg collected the true Mediterranean heath and the 

 maiden-hair fern. On returning to Cashel Bay, where we 

 remained for a few days, several members drove to 

 Eoundhill, near the junction of the Clifden and Eoundstone 

 roads, to the station for the Erica Mackayana. We had not 



