52 Linncean and Natural Systems. 



system, they could not have found him guilty, but have ascribed 

 the accident to the fortuitous impregnation of the Brassica Flo- 

 rida by the pollen of the Brassica Longifolia." 



Dr. Hasselquist, in a letter to Linnteus, dated Alexandria, May 

 18th, 1750, says : " The first thing I did after my arrival, was to 

 see the Date tree, the ornament and a great part of the riches of 

 this country. It had already blossomed, but I had nevertheless 

 the pleasure of seeing how the Arabs assist the fecundation, and 

 by that means secure to themselves a plentiful harvest of a vege- 

 table which was so important to them, and known to them many 

 centuries before any botanist dreamed of the difference of sexes 

 in vegetables. The gardener informed me of this before I had 

 time to inquire ; and would show me, as a very curious thing, 

 the male and female of the Date or Palm trees ; nor could he 

 conceive how I, a Frank, lately arrived, could know it before ; 

 for, says he, all who have yet come from Europe to see this 

 country, have regarded thi3 relation either as a fable or a miracle. 

 The Arab seeing me inclined to be further informed, accompanied 

 me and my French interpreter t*> a Palm tree which was very 

 full of young fruit, and had by him been wedded or fecundated 

 with the mate when both were in blossom. Unless this is done, 

 the trees bear no fruit. He said that he finds the male flowers 

 full of a dew of the finest and purest kind, of a sweet and 

 pleasant taste, resembling that of fresh dates, but much more 

 refined and aromatic ; this was confirmed by my interpreter, who 

 has lived thirty-two years in Egypt, and has had therefore oppor- 

 tunities enough of tasting the nectar of the blossoms and the 

 fresh dates." 



In the garden of M. de la Serre, at Paris, was a female Tur- 

 pentine tree, which flowered every year without furnishing any 

 fruit capable of vegetation. This was a sensible mortification 

 to the owner, who greatly desired to have the tree increased. 

 Messrs. Duhamel and Jussieu very properly judged that they 

 might procure him that pleasure by the assistance of a male 

 Pistachio tree, and accordingly sent jjim one very much loaded 

 with flowers. It was planted in the garden, near the Turpen- 

 tine tree, which the same year produced a great quantity of 

 fruits that were well-conditioned, and rose with facility. The 

 male plant was then removed, the consequence of which was 



