On Producing new and early Fruits. 31 



adapt his productions to the cold and unsteady climate of 

 Britain, has still many difficulties to contend with ; he has to 

 combine hardiness, energy of character, and early maturity, 

 with the improvements of high cultivation. Nature has how- 

 ever in some measure, pointed out the path he is to pursue ; 

 and, if it be followed with patience and industry, no obstacles 

 will be found, which may not be either removed, or passed 

 over. 



If two plants of the Vine, or other tree, of similar habits, or 

 even if obtained from cuttings of the same tree, were placed 

 to vegetate, during several successive seasons, in very different 

 climates : if the one were planted on the banks of the Rhine, 

 and the other on those of the Nile, each would adapt its habits 

 to the climate in which it were placed ; and if both were sub- 

 sequently brought, in early spring, into a climate similar to 

 that of Italy, the plant which had adapted its habits to a cold 

 climate would instantly vegetate, whilst the other would re- 

 main perfecdy torpid. Precisely the same thing occurs in the 

 hot-houses of this country, where a plant accustomed to the 

 temperature of the open air will vegetate strongly in Decem- 

 ber, whilst another plant of the same species, and sprung from 

 a cutting of the same original stock, but habituated to the 

 temperature of a stove, remains apparently lifeless. It appears, 

 therefore, that the powers of vegetable life, in plants habitu- 

 ated to cold climates, are more easily brought into action than 

 in those of hot climates ; or, in other words, that the plants 

 of cold climates, are most exciteable : and as every quality in 

 plants becomes hereditary, when the causes which first gave 

 existence to those qualities continue to operate; it follows 

 that their seedling offspring have a constant tendency to adapt 



