806 APPLICATION OF PEINCIPLES. 



and having no disposition to cabbage. I suffered 

 these plants to run to seed at a great distance from 

 my true Sprouts, which the extent of my garden 

 allowed me easily to do. The second sowingbrought 

 them back a good deal to their true character ; the 

 plants yielded small cabbages regularly at each axil, 

 but not generally full or compact, and they did not 

 shoot a second time, as the true sort does. I again 

 suffered these to run to seed, using the same precau- 

 tion of keeping them by themselves. I sowed the 

 seed, and this time the plants were found to have 

 entirely recovered their original habits, their head, 

 and rich produce." {Hort. Trans., iii. 197.) I must 

 confess, however, that, although the passage merits 

 quotation, for the sake of exciting attention to the 

 subject, it appears to me very doubtful whether the 

 case has been fully, if correctly, stated. 



CHAPTEE XVIII. 



OF THE IMPROVEMENT OF RACES. 



What has been stated in the preceding chapter, 

 concerning the preservation of the races of domes- 

 ticated plants, is in some measure applicable to their 

 improvement, because the very means employed 

 to preserve those peculiarities of habit which render 

 them valuable, will, from time to time, be the cause 

 of still more valuable qualities making their appear- 



