HORTICULTURAL JOURNAL. 169 



L. grandiflorum, which is that of a flax with red flowers, a native of Algiers, 

 and perfectly distinct from the cultivated species. 



These two common plants, whose diagnostic characters I have just 

 sketched, have heen observed in the farms of the department of the Upper 

 Garonne, by Mr. Dunal, who has had both figured in the admirable collection 

 of drawings of the Faculty of Sciences at Montpellier. 



J. E. P. 



Translated from the Flore des Serres. 



For the Florist. 



Mr. Editor.— The article in the Florist, (Vol. 3, No. 5,) by L. C. Tre- 

 viranus,* on the question, whether our cultivated Wheat originated from 

 a certain grass, indigenous on the coasts of the Mediterranean, and known 

 to botanists by the name of JEgilops ovata, is highly interesting ; and has 

 revived in me a strong desire (heretofore expressed in another Journal,) to 

 see and examine specimens of the plant, which, it is alleged M. Fabre has 

 succeeded in changing into wheat, by twelve years of careful cultivation. 

 Although I confess myself rather incredulous on that point, I am still open 

 to conviction ; while the seeming countenance given to the statement by so 

 eminent a botanist as M. Dunal, is well calculated to make one wish to 

 know more about the matter, and to inspect the evidences of so remarkable 

 a transformation. Could you not devise measures to procure some speci- 

 mens of this new wheat, in the several stages of its progress from JEgilops 

 to Triticum, so that we might have a chance in this country, to see and 

 judge for our ourselves ? I presume M. Fabre would cheerfully furnish 

 samples of the intermediate forms, between the perfect wheat and its wild 

 original, (both of these last mentioned also, would be truly acceptable) ; and 

 if you could obtain a supply by means of your correspondents in France, or 

 otherwise, you would much gratify some of your readers, and might more- 

 • over be expanding our views of the economy of vegetation. 



Considering the well-known influence of culture, soil and climate, in 

 modifying the size, texture, color, flavor and other subordinate characteristics 

 of vegetable organs and products, I can readily apprehend that a great 

 change may be effected by such agencies, in all those features and qualities 

 alluded to, even among the Grasses ; but I am not quite prepared to expect 

 under any management, or circumstances, a transmutation of the essential 



* Taken from the Gardeners' Chronicle. 



