134 PPOPAGATION OF PLAKTS, 



form of growth from all others on the same plant, or in 

 fact on any of the various species or yarieties of the 

 Eetinisporas in my grounds. This branch was layered, 

 and the next season cut off and planted out by itself. It 

 is now more than three times the size of the parent plant, 

 and so distinct from it in leaf and habit of growth that 

 it might readily be taken for a distinct species instead of 

 a sport. Prof. George Thnrber, the eminent botanist, de- 

 scribed this sport in 1881, and named it Retinispora obtusa 

 Fulleri. Three years ago another bud on the same plant, 

 but on the opposite side of the stem, produced a branch 

 identical in every respect with the first sport, showing 

 that this plant has either inherited or developed a faculty 

 of producing bud varieties, and of one form only. 



Sometimes these bud varieties show a marked differ- 

 ence in the color of the foliage or habits of growth, while 

 in others only the flowers appear to differ, as seen in 

 many well-known varieties of the Eose which have orig- 

 inated in this way. The first Moss Eose is supposed to 

 have originated from a bud on the old Centifolia ; the 

 Striped Moss is a sport of the old Eed Moss, and the 

 White Baron Prevost from the old Pink Hybrid Perpet- 

 ual of the same names. The American Banner, Tri- 

 omphe d'Amens, Painted Orleans, and many other well- 

 known varieties of the Eose, originated from what are 

 termed bud variations. Among fruits bud variations 

 are constantly occurring, but the larger number are prob- 

 ably overlooked and consequently lost. The Eed Mag- 

 num Bonum Plum is said to have originated from a bud 

 of the Yellow Magnum Bonum. Many instances are 

 recorded of Peach trees producing Nectarines on one or 

 more branches, and these sports have frequently been 

 preserved and extensively propagated. The seed of Nec- 

 tarines originating in this way usually produce Nectarine 

 trees, not reverting to the Peach. 



The earliest instance on record of a Peach tree produc- 



