204 JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



imitated by watering inland plants with a saline solution. 

 Hence it is customary to give salt to some maritime plants 

 which are cultivated, as Asparagus and Sea Kale ; while all the 

 cabbage tribe would doubtless be assisted by it, if it were 

 thought necessary, as they are natives of sea-cliffs; but they 

 retain their fleshy character by heredity. 



Several plants growing at Bad Nauheim, 200 miles from the 

 nearest sea-coast, have acquired a fleshy texture in consequence 

 of the abundance of saline waters there. 



Variegation. — This phenomenon is produced by several 

 causes ; though it is not quite clear why some plants with a 

 variegated foliage may grow in the same soil with others not 

 variegated. 



The general absence of colour has been called " Chlorosis," 

 and the disease appears to be the result of the absence or defi- 

 ciency of certain ingredients in the soil requisite for a vigorous 

 growth and a fully green colour. 



Thus, a variegated strawberry remained constant so long as 

 it grew in a dry soil ; but when it was transferred to a cold or 

 moist one, its variegation quickly disappeared. A variegated 

 laurel grew well in a not very deep soil for three years, but when 

 the roots could penetrate into the sub-soil composed of chalk, 

 the leaves became green again. 



Professor A. Church has investigated the subject, and finds 

 that Chlorosis may be divided into four groups— (1) Etiolation, 

 due to insufficient light ; (2) Albinism, when there is a relative 

 excess of potash and deficiency of lime ; (3) Icterus, due to a 

 deficiency of iron ; (4) WJieat-yelloiv, on account of a deficiency 

 of potash. 



Mr. Penhallon found that Peach-yellow was due to a defi- 

 ciency of magnesia. 



Following these discoveries, it seems obvious that experi- 

 ments might be made in which soils deficient in the above- 

 mentioned ingredients might be used, to see if variegation could 

 not be induced. As, however, all cases of variegation are 

 abnormal and unhealthy conditions, it is probable that a perma- 

 nency would be difficult to secure, unless the soil remained of 

 the same character to produce it. Still> as M. Carriere observes 

 of plants, " everything tends to become hereditary," therefore 

 variegations may in time become so fixed in the constitution. 



