384 THE SELF-FERTILIZATION OF PLANTS. 



evolves itself most gracefully, and courses with perfect 

 ease, in and out, among all of the phenomena. 

 Continuing, Darwin remarks: 



" Mr. Laxton gave me seed-peas, produced from 

 crosses between four distinct kinds; and the plants, 

 thus raised, were extraordinarily vigorous, being in 

 each case, from one to two or three feet, taller than the 

 parent forms growing close along side of them." 



On page 161, Vol. ii, Animals and Plants, &c, he 

 says: 



"Weigmann made many crosses between several 

 varieties of cabbage ; and he speaks with astonishment, 

 of the vigor and height of the mongrels, which excited 

 the amazement of all the gardeners who beheld them. 

 Mr. Chaundry raised a great number of mongrels, by 

 planting together six distinct varieties of cabbage. 

 These mongrels displayed an infinite diversity of char- 

 acter; but the most remarkable circumstance was, that, 

 while all the other cabbages and borecoles, in the nur- 

 sery, were destroyed by a severe winter, these hybrids (?) 

 were little injured, and supplied the kitchen, when there 

 was no other cabbage to be had." 



The height, which was observed in these mongrel 

 cabbages, was due, doubtless, to reversion in the stock * 

 which, according to Darwin, in some individuals, has 

 attained an enormous height. 



"In the Island of Jersey," says he (p. 389, Vol. i, 

 Animals and Plants, &c), "from the effects of particu- 

 lar culture, and of climate, a stalk has grown to the 

 height of sixteen feet, and ' had its spring shoots, at the 

 top, occupied by a magpie's nest;' the woody stems 

 are not unfrequently, from ten to twelve feet in height, 

 and are there used, as rafters, and as walking sticks." 



