Vegetable Hybrids and their Progeny. 13 



major part inclined to neither species, nor did any resemble 

 the first hybrid generation, but presented all kinds of varia- 

 tion. 



M. Naudin then refers to hybrid petunias, which, he says, 

 though common in gardens, have not received the attention due 

 to them from scientific men. He says that P. nyctaginiflora, 

 which has white flowers, and P. violacea, with violet, cross 

 with facility, producing hybrids as fertile as themselves. In 

 the first generation all the hybrids resemble each other ; but in 

 the second they became diversified in a surprising manner, 

 some becoming white, some purple; while others, and they 

 constitute a large residue, exhibit all tints between the two. 

 If a third generation is raised by artificially fecundating the 

 second, still greater variations occur, and if the process is con- 

 tinued monstrosities are obtained, which fashion decides to be 

 perfection. 



Similar facts occur with primulas, roses, apple-trees, pears, 

 etc. The question then arises, "but if these crossings have 

 produced such phenomena of irregular variability in cultivated 

 plants, is it not possible that the same cause has occasioned 

 their appearance amongst wild plants ? We are led to think so 

 when we cast our eyes on certain generic groups, such as sal- 

 lows, potentillas, briars, etc., in which those species which at 

 first seem the best characterized, are united by so many inter- 

 mediate forms, that we do not know where to place the limits 

 of such species. This supposition is the more probable, be- 

 cause the species in question are so situated as to render their 

 crossing likely to occur." M. Naudin then makes certain ob- 

 servations on the variations which different species exhibit 

 without any crossing with another species or race. He con- 

 siders that with hybrids the tendency is towards individual 

 variation without fixity, while with pure races variations tend 

 to become constant, and if not interfered with, give rise to 

 fresh races homogeneous and enduring. 



Many of our subscribers will have opportunities of making 

 experiments similar to those of M. Naudin, and they may be 

 reminded that both naturalists and physiologists anxiously look 

 for additions to this class of facts. 



