306 



o 

 O 



LAWS OF VARIATION. 



Chap. XXIV. 



far better adapted for India than those imported from Eno-land. 4 « 

 It is almost certain that the breeds of the fowl are descended 



from the same species; but 



Spanish breed, which 



good reason to believe originated near the Mediterranean 47 

 though so fine and vigorous in England, suffers more from frost 

 than any other breed. The Arrindy silk-moth introduced from 

 Bengal, and the Ailanthus moth from the temperate province of 

 Shan Tung, in China, belong to the same species, as we may 

 infer from their identity in the caterpillar, cocoon, and mature 



yet they differ much 



the Indian form 



flourish only in warm latitudes," the other is quite hardy 



and withstands cold and 



Plants are more strictly adapted to climate than are animals. The latter 

 when domesticated withstand such great diversities of climate, that we 

 find nearly the same species in tropical and temperate countries ; whilst 

 the cultivated plants are widely dissimilar. Hence a larger field is open 

 for inquiry in regard to the acclimatisation of plants than of animals. It 

 is no exaggeration to say that with almost every plant which has long 

 been cultivated varieties exist, which are endowed with constitutions fitted 

 for very different climates ; I will select only a few of the more striking 

 cases, as it would be tedious to give all. In North America numerous 

 fruit-trees have been raised, and in horticultural publications, — for instance, 

 in Downing, — lists are given of the varieties which are best able to with- 

 stand the severe climate of the northern States and Canada. Many American 

 varieties of the pear, plum, and peach are excellent in their own country, 

 but until recently hardly one was known that succeeded in England ; and 

 with apples, 49 not one succeeds. Though the American varieties can with- 

 stand a severer winter than ours, the summer here is not hot enough. 

 Fruit-trees have originated in Europe as in America with different consti- 

 tutions, but they are not here much noticed, as the same nurserymen do 

 not supply a wide area. The Forelle pear flowers early, and when the 

 flowers have just set, and this is the critical period, they have been 

 observed, both in France and England, to withstand with complete impu- 

 nity a frost of 18° and even 14° Fahr., which killed the flowers, whether fully 

 expanded or in bud, of all other kinds of pears. 50 This power in the flower 

 of resisting cold and afterwards producing fruit does not invariably de- 

 pend, as we know on good authority, 51 on general constitutional vigour. 



46 Eoyle, « Prod. Kesources of India,' 

 p. 153. 



47 Tegetmeier, ' Poultry Book,' 1866, 

 p. 102. 



48 Dr. E. Paterson, in a paper com- Decaisne. 



49 See remarks by Editor in ' Gard. 



Chronicle,' 1848, p. 5. 



50 ' Gard. Chronicle,' 1860, p. 938. 

 Remarks by Editor and quotation from 



municated to Bot. Soc. of Canada, 

 quoted in the « Reader,' 1863, Nov. 13th. 



51 J. de Jonghe, of ■ Brussels, in 

 « Gard. Chronicle,' 1857, p. 612. 





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