692 
A 'C'O MPL fA‘T B‘O.D Y 
O&ob. or having been difcouraged by wanting Succefs, 
they will call it impoffible. To thefe we anfwer 
by, this plain Principle, founded upon whatever : 
elfe we know, and in fome Degree confirmed 
by Experience in this, that whatever Nature does 
in the Changes of the vegetable Creation, Art 
may imitate. | 
In fome Inftances, under a due Conduét, it 
will exceed whatever is done in the fame Way 
by Nature; in others it will fall fhort of her 
Productions: what will be the Event in the 
prefent Inftance is not as yet to be determi- 
med becaufe the Trials are too few; but this 
plain Affertion we may make: the Leaves of 
Plants may be variegated by Art, becaufe we 
have fucceeded in doing it; and when we are 
fure fomething abfolute is in our Reach, ’tis 
very difficult to fay where the Effects of in- 
genious Labour may ftop. 
Nature firft gave the Hint for doubling of 
Flowers, and we find in many Inftances Art 
can tread happily in her Steps: the Gardener | clufions as they will fufficiently {upport, and 
tice little underftood. 
We hope from the Rules we have laid down 
in a former Number on that Subject, the Suc- 
cefs in this Way will be greater; and not 
only better Flowers in the Kinds ufually doubled 
will be produced, but many will be doubled 
which the Gardener did not fuppofe capable 
of that Addition. Upon the famé Principle 
we fhall proceed in this more difficult Re- 
fearch of the Variegation of Leaves, confidering 
firft what is known upon the Subjeét, and 
what may be farther deduced from that Know- 
ledge ; and then laying down the Rules for at- 
tempting the Thing regularly in Plantations. 
We fhall not only examine what Nature does, 
but fo far as the Caufes appear, how the does 
it; adding what Chance has difcovered in our 
Plantations, for to Chance we mutt acknowledge 
all is owing that is yet known concerning it; and 
from thefe Premifes we fhall deduce fuch Con- 
has fucceeded in raifing double Flowers of many } thence the Rules for the Practice. 
0000000 0000000000000000 00000 0000000000 
— oe CHAP. I. 
Of the Effects of Nature in the frriping and blotching the Leaves of Trees. 
O much Analogy we mutt allow between the { other Plants, whofe, Flowers are naturally of the © 
Flowers of Plants and their Leaves, that 
whatfoever Caufe can affect a Change in the 
Colour of the one, may be naturally fuppofed 
to have fome Power alfo in Regard of the 
other. This Obfervation is ufeful, becaufe in 
the State of Nature we much oftener fee Changes 
in the Colours of Flowers, than in the Leaves of 
Plants. oe | | 
The common Variation in Flowers is from 
their natural ftrong Colours to become white. 
In fome Leaves we fee this alfo happen, but 
more frequently the Change is into yellow. 
The-delicate Structure of Flowers renders them 
more fufceptible of this Change than the Leaves, | 
which are more egrofs and hard: this is the 
Reafon why in Nature we fee Flowers without 
their Colour, much oftener than Leaves ftain’d 
with yellow; and that we find the laft very 
common in Gardens, is owing to the Labour 
and Care of the Gardener, who when he has 
one fuch Plant never fails to propagate it far- 
ther. Nature affifts him in this by con- 
tinuing the Variegation in the increafed Plants 
in a very furprifing Manner. 
The Colours of Flowers which are mott fre- 
quently loft, are a ftrong blue, or a deep red. 
We fee Inftances of the firft in the little Field 
Bell-flower, and inthe Crowfoot Crane’s-bill of the 
latter; in the bloodyCrane’s-bill, and Herb Robert; 
the Flowers of the two firft are naturally of a 
ftrong blue, and thofe of the two others of a 
ftrong red; particularly that named from this 
Circumftance, Bloody. In thefe and in many 
I 
fame bold Colours, we frequently fee them 
white; and in the’ Bloody Crane’s-bill particu- 
larly there is an intermediate State of Colouring 
between that deep Dye and abfolute white; 
in which the Flower is ftreaked. This hag 
been called the ftrip’d Lancafhire Crane’s-bill, 
it having been firft feen, and, fo far as I know, 
only, wild in that Country. 
Univerfally where the Plants are found with 
white Flowers the Soil is dry and barren. The 
Seeds of the common blue or red Flowers, pro- 
duce upon thofe Soils Plants with white ones ; 
and the Seeds of thofe white Flowers, fown 
on good Ground, do not produce white flower’d 
Plants, but fuch as are blue or red, in the Man- 
ner of thofe of the Plants from which they were 
fcattered, which had produced the white. 
We fee in this Inftance, that Colour can be 
affected in a Plant by the Accidents of its 
Growth; and in what Manner it can be af- 
fected. We fee the Effect and the Caufe, and 
we are therefore certain of the Conclufion that 
may be drawn from it. | 
As much Moifture tends to double the Flowers 
of Plants without altering their Colour; a dry 
and barren Soil tends to rob them. of their Co- 
lour, without reducing the Size, or diminifhing 
the Number of Petals. That which can affeét 
the delicate and more remote Parts, may 
alfo have Influence on the groffer and more 
near; therefore the Soil may have Power to 
alter the Colours in the Leaves of Plants: but 
fomething more is requifite for the Change of 
Leaves ; 
tn” 
Kinds from Séed, while he has followed a Prac- O&ob, 
{x 
