III. I 



THE AMERICAN GARDENER. 



71 



with them ; the soil and situation should be good ; 

 and they should be carefully cultivated, during the 

 time that they are carrying on their seed to per- 

 fection. 



139. But, effectual means must be taken to pre- 

 vent a mixing of the sorts, or, to speak in the lan- 

 guage of farmers, a crossing of the hreeds. There 

 can be no cross between the sheep and the dog : 

 but there can be between the dog and the wolf : 

 and, we daily see it, between the greyhound and 

 the hound ; each valuable when true to his kind : 

 and a cross between the two, fit for nothing but the 

 rope ; a word which, on this occasion, I use, in pre- 

 ference to that of halter^ out of respect for the m;)- 

 dern laws and usages of my native country. 



140. There can be no cross between a cabbage 

 and a carrot : but there can be, between a cabbage 

 and a turnip ; between a cabbage and a cauliflower 

 nothing is more common ; and, as to the different 

 sorts of cabbages, they will produce crosses, pre- 

 senting twenty, and perhaps a thousand, degrees, 

 from the Early York to the Savoy. Turnips will 

 mix with radishes and ruta-baga ; all these with 

 rape ; the result will mix with cabbages and cauli- 

 flowers ; so that, if nothing were done to preserve 

 plants true to their kind, our gardens would soon 

 present us with little besides mere herbage. 



141. As to the causes^ I pretend not to dive into 

 them. As to the affectionate feelings^^ from 

 which the effect arises, I leave that to those who 

 have studied the "loves of the plants." But, as to 

 the effect itself I can speak positively ; for, I have 

 now on the table before me an ear of Indian Corn 

 having in it grains of three distinct sorts ; White 

 Corn, that is to say, colour of bright rye-straw ; 

 Yellow Corn, that is to say, colour of a deep- 



