326 CULINAEY PLANTS. Chap. IX. 



of analogous variation in three forms which are generally considered as 

 distinct species. But scarcely any modification seems so easily acquired 

 as a succulent enlargement of the stem or root — that is a store of nutri- 

 ment laid up for the plant's own future use. We see this in our radishes, 

 beet, and in the less generally known " turnip-rooted " celery, and in the 

 finocchio or Italian variety of the common fennel. Mr. Buckman has lately 

 proved by his interesting experiments how quickly the roots of the wild 

 parsnip can be enlarged, as Vilmorin formerly proved in the case of the 

 carrot. 76 This latter plant, in its cultivated state, differs in scarcely any 

 character from the wild English species, except in general luxuriance and 

 in the size and quality of its roots ; but in the root ten varieties, differing 

 in colour, shape, and quality, are cultivated 77 in England, and come true 

 by seed. Hence, with the carrot, as in so many other cases, for instance 

 with the numerous varieties and sub-varieties of the radish, that part 

 of the plant which is valued by man, falsely appears alone to have 

 varied. The truth is that variations in this part alone have been selected ; 

 and the seedlings inheriting a tendency to vary in the same way, analogous 

 modifications have been again and again selected, until at last a great 

 amount of change has been effected. 



Pea (Pisum sativum). — Most botanists look at the garden-pea as speci- 

 fically distinct from the field-pea (P. arvense). The latter exists in a 

 wild state in Southern Europe ; but the aboriginal parent of the garden- 

 pea has been found by one collector alone, as he states, in the Crimea. 78 

 Andrew Knight crossed, as I am informed by the Eev. A. Fitch, the 

 field- pea with a well-known garden variety, the Prussian pea, and the 

 cross seems to have been perfectly fertile. Dr. Alefeld has recently studied 79 

 the genus with care, and, after having cultivated about fifty varieties, 

 concludes that they all certainly belong to the same species. It is an 

 interesting fact already alluded to, that, according to 0. Heer, 80 the peas 

 found in the lake-habitations of Switzerland of the Stone and Bronze 

 ages, belong to an extinct variety, with exceedingly small seeds, allied 

 to P. arvense, or field-pea. The varieties of the common garden-pea are 

 numerous, and differ considerably from each other. For comparison I 

 planted at the same time forty-one English and French varieties, and in 

 this one case I will describe minutely their differences. The varieties 



76 These experiments by Vilmorin those of the wild plant. From these 



have been quoted by many writers. An seedlings he raised, several distinct 



eminent botanist, Prof. Decaisne, has varieties. 



lately expressed doubts on the subject 77 Loudon's 'Encyclop. of Garden- 



from his own negative results, but ing,' p. 835. 



these cannot be valued equally with 78 Alph# De Candollej « Geograph. 



positive results. On the other hand, Bot.,' 960. Mr. Bentham (< Hort. Jour- 



M. Carriere has lately stated (< Gard. nal,' vol. ix. (1855), p. 141) believes that 



Chronicle, 1865 p. 1154) that he took garden and field peas belong to the 



seed from a wild carrot, growing far sam e species, and in this respect he 



from any cultivated land, and even in differs from Dr. Targioni. 



the first generation the roots of his seed- 79 < Botanische Zeitung,' 1860, s. 204. 



lings differed m being spindle-shaped, so < Die Pflanzen der Pfahlbauten/ 



longer, softer, and less fibrous than 1866 s. 23. 



