218 SELECTION. 







• 



Chap. XX. 



S. 



On the other hand, the seed of the strawberry, which corre- 

 sponds with the fruit of the plum, differs hardly at all ; whilst 

 every one knows how greatly the fruit— that is, the enlarged 

 receptacle— differs in the several varieties. In apples, pears, 

 and peaches the flowers and leaves differ considerably, but not, 

 as far as I can judge, in proportion with the fruit. The Chinese 

 double-flowering peaches, on the other hand, show that varieties 

 of this tree have been formed, which differ more in the flower 

 than in fruit. If, as is highly probable, the peach is the modi- 

 fied descendant of the almond, a surprising amount of change 

 has been effected in the same species, in the fleshy covering of 

 the former and in the kernels of the latter. 



When parts stand in such close relation to each other as the 

 fleshy covering of the fruit (whatever its homological nature may 

 be) and the seed, when one part is modified, so generally is the 

 other, but by no means necessarily in the same degree. With 





whatever could be detected in their foliage, flowers, or seed 

 Now what a contrast is presented, if we compare the flowers of 

 the varieties of these two plants with those of any species culti- 

 vated in our flower-gardens for ornament ; or if we compare 

 their seeds with those of the varieties of maize, peas, beans &c 

 which are valued and cultivated for their seeds. In the ninth 

 chapter it w r as shown that the varieties of the pea differ but 

 little except in the tallness of the plant, moderately in the shape 

 of the pod, and greatly in the pea itself, and these are all selected 

 points. The varieties, however, of the Pois sans parehemin 

 differ much more in their pods, and these are eaten and valued. 

 I cultivated twelve varieties of the common bean ; one alone 

 the Dwarf Fan, differed considerably in general appearance* 

 two differed in the colour of their flowers, one being an albino 

 and the other being wholly instead of partially purple ; several 

 differed considerably in the shape and size of the pod, but far 

 more in the bean itself, and this is the valued and selected part. V 



Toker's bean, for instance, is twice-and-a-half as long and broad 

 as the horse-bean, and is much thinner and of a different shape. 

 The varieties of the gooseberry, as formerly described, differ 

 much iri their fruit, but hardly perceptibly in their flowers or 

 organs of vegetation. With the plum, the differences likewise 



appear to be greater in the fruit than in the flowers or leaves. 





i 



