234 



THE FLOEIST AND 



cereals to change their accustomed condition acquires interest. For that 

 reason we produce in the accompanying woodcut a representation of a mon- 

 strous Wheat, remarked last year by Professor Henslow in one of his vil- 

 lage allotments. It will be seen that at each of 

 the places marked a a a there is an additional body, 

 having a very distinct reflexed position : and that at 

 • b a similar though different appearance occurs. Upon 

 examining the structures carefully, we find that at a 

 a a there is, in addition to the usual spikelet, a late- 

 ral one, consisting of imperfect chaffs {glumes and 

 palece) containing from three to four florets. This 

 additional spikelet occupies the same position as one 

 regular lateral one-flowered spikelets of Barley. • At b 

 there is an additional chaff or glume, reflexed as be- 

 fore, but imperfect, and merely indicating a tendency 

 in other parts of the ear to assume the peculiar con- 

 dition of a a a. 



We entertain little doubt that, in this example, we 

 have before us the elements of that greater change 

 which ultimately resulted in the production of Egyp- 

 tian Wheat out of the common Revett or Triticum 

 durum; and if this be so, we have evidence that the 

 common red or white Wheats may also be expected 

 to branch in the ear, and thus acquire a degree of 

 productiveness at present unknown among them. 



Now, that all eyes are upon Wheat fields, we, as 

 botanists, would direct attention to this fact, and sug- 

 gest the propriety of putting aside any ears in the 

 condition of that now represented, with a view to sow- 

 ing the corn apart, for the sake of the possibilty that the tendency to branch 

 may be strengthened and perpetuated. It is entirely consistent with all 

 we know of the nature of plants that this should occur; not, indeed, in every 

 seedling obtained from a branching ear, but in some one of them. Such a 

 case should again be reserved and sown apart ; and if but one case of a 

 branched ear should occur in the third generation, the habit of branching 

 may be regarded as fixed; while the degree of it may be expected to go at 

 least as far as in the Egyptian Wheat. 



This is a point to which the attention of allotment-holders should be di- 



