Chap. IX. PEAS. 349 



wrinkled peas; and although he sowed these four varieties separately 

 during several successive years, each kind always reproduced all 

 four kinds mixed together ! 



With respect to the varieties not naturally intercrossing, I have 

 ascertained that the pea, which in this respect differs from some 

 other Leguminosse, is perfectly fertile without the aid of insects. 

 Yet I have seen humble-bees whilst sucking the nectar depress the 

 keel-petals, and become so thickly dusted with pollen, that it could 

 hardly fail to be left on the stigma of the next flower which was 

 visited. Nevertheless, distinct varieties growing closely together 

 rarely cross ; and I have reason to believe that this is due to their 

 stigmas being prematurely fertilised in this country by pollen from 

 the same flower. The horticulturists who raise seed-peas are thus 

 enabled to plant distinct varieties close together without any bad 

 consequences ; and it is certain, as I have myself found, that true 

 seed may be saved during at least several generations nnder these 

 circumstances. 88 Mr. Fitch raised, as he informs me, one variety 

 for twenty years, and it always came true, though grown close to 

 other varieties. From the analogy of kidney-beans I should 

 have expected 89 that varieties thus circumstanced would have oc- 

 casionally crossed ; and I shall give in the eleventh chapter two cases 

 of this having occurred, as shown (in a manner hereafter to be ex- 

 plained) by the pollen of the one variety having acted directly on the 

 seeds of the other. Whether many of the new varieties which in- 

 cessantly appear are due to such occasional and accidental crosses, I 

 do not know. Nor do I know whether the short existence of almost 

 all the numerous varieties is the result of mere change of fashion, or 

 of their having a weak constitution, from being the product of long- 

 continued self-fertilisation. It may, however, be noticed that several 

 of Andrew Knight's varieties, which have endured longer than most 

 kinds, were raised towards the close of the last century by artificial 

 crosses ; some of them, I believe, were still vigorous in 1860 ; 

 but now, in 1865, a writer, speaking 90 of Knight's four kinds of 

 marrows, says, they have acquired a famous history, but their 

 glory has departed. 



With respect to Beans (F<iba vulgaris), I will say but little. Dr. 

 Alefeld has given 91 short diagnostic characters of forty varieties. 

 Everyone who has seen a collection must have been struck with 

 the great difference in shape, thickness, proportional length and 

 breadth, colour, and size which beans present. What a contrast 

 between a Windsor and Horse-bean ! As in the case of the pea, 

 our existing varieties were preceded during the Bronze age in 



88 See Dr. Anderson to the same 'Gardener's Chronicle,' 1857, Oct, 



effect in the ' Bath Soc. Agricultural 25. 



Papers,' vol. iv. p. 87. ao 'Gardener's Chronicle,' 1865, » 



e9 I have published full details of 387. 



experiments on this subject in the 91 ' Bonplaudia,' x., 1862, s. 348 



