242 THE FLORIST AND 



tion, I have decided to take it up again, explain their theory in all fairness, 

 the evidence on which they build, and the benefits they claim for it ; when I 

 will show its fallacy both in science and practice, and the futility of the ar- 

 guments that have been made against my objections. 



But it seems, Mr. Editor, I have to qualify myself to argue the point. 

 They object to my nationality. "An European, and a gardener too, what 

 can you know?" Gentleman, I plead guilty; but I plead in mitigation of 

 sentence that I was not aware of the importance until you discovered it — 

 still I am willing to give you every chance of a verdict in the line of argu- 

 ment you have chosen. I am ignorant of the exact spot whereon I was born. 

 I believe it was somewhere in England. I do not know in what county, but 

 will try and discover, 1 have in my veins Gaelic, Celtic, and Saxon blood, 

 but do not know which preponderates. Sometimes I believe I am like Plun- 

 ket's client who "could not be a traitor to his country, because he had no 

 country to sell." Then as to my knowledge. That is a delicate subject. 

 One can hardly find brass enough to speak well of himself. Cato Censor- 

 ious says there are time^ when a man may do so. "With such victorious au- 

 thority may I not attempt it? Let me say then that it may be possible to be 

 an European and a garden er^ and yet have knowledge enough to put a death 

 blow to a fallacious theory. 



What is that theory? In a large quantity of seedlings five varieties are 

 produced: Namely, JPistillates, ffermaphi'odiies, &c, each variety remain- 

 ing true to its character through any circumstances ;: that use was first made 

 of this theory in the west, to produce fruit from Strawberry plants that 

 otherwise would have been barren, by placing stain-mate plants in the vicini- 

 ty of pistillate ones, and that fruit raised from such plants, were finer than 

 if they had been Hermaphrodites and in greater profusion. 



Now, I am in no way disposed to detract from the real merits of our friends 

 in the west. It has not yet been proved that a pistillate flower will pro- 

 duce fruit without impregnation with the male property. The only thing I 

 have seen in print in relation to the subject, is by my learned friend "W. 

 D." of West Chester, who has ably shown by Botanical analysis in the July 

 No. of the Farm Journal,- that such a circumstance is possible. 



Until that has been proved-— and practice is certainly against it so far as 

 the strawberry is concerned. The Cincinnatians have done some service. 

 It is in the permanency of the sexual characters of their varieties that they 

 fall into error. 



They believe in their permanency chiefly because they have had them un- 

 der their eyes for years, and after the most careful observation, could trace 



