G6 On the accidental Intermixture of Character in 



the tree next the Holland Pippin had lost much of its own 

 form, and colour, and partaken largely of that of its neigh- 

 bour, while the Holland Pippin, taken from the side next 

 the Calville, had become nearly a Calville in form and 

 colour. 



In October of the same year, Mr. Brogden shewed 

 me two Apples, in which a no less remarkable change had 

 taken place. The one was a. French Crab, grown near a 

 Ribston Pippin, the character of which it had taken, and the 

 other was a Golden Pippin which grew near a Russet, and in 

 which the two varieties, though so widely different, were 

 evidently blended. 



These several instances all coming within my observation 

 in the course of two seasons, have fully satisfied me that a 

 change both in character and quality of fruits is frequently 

 effected ; it will be for the physiologist to instruct us as to 

 the mode by which it is done, and probably a close investi- 

 gation of the subject may discover in this process of nature 

 sufficient to account for the occasional appearance of a Nec- 

 tarine on the same branch with a Peach : this, indeed, appears 

 to me a more reasonable mode of accounting for such an 

 anomaly than any which I have yet heard suggested. 



I have noticed these few facts for the purpose of drawing 

 the attention of horticulturists to the subject, and I trust 

 that those who have leisure and opportunities, will, by actual 

 experiment, endeavour to ascertain whence these occasional 

 deviations arise. Such an investigation will not be useless, 

 for if there does exist in fruits such a liability to change, it 

 will at once be evident to the intelligent cultivator how much 

 care is requisite in growing Melons, Cucumbers, &c, to secure 



