348 Mr. Ray of the Number of Plants. 



Jlips and branches , if others. To this I might adcj 5 

 that from the fame ftem of a Stock July Flower , I 

 have fometimes feen fome Branches bearing double^ 

 others fingle Flowers. By the by, let me note, that 

 I have by Experience found the vulgar miftaken in 

 that Opinion current among them, that the Seed of 

 thofe Flowers which have more than theufualand juft 

 number of Leaves, will produce Plants bearing dou- 

 ble Flowers j for from the Seed of the Stock July Flow- 

 ?r, jfucceeding Flowers that were of five and fix Leaves 

 apiece (whereas the ufual number in that Plant is but 

 four) I had not one double flower'd Plant fprung. 



Secondly, as for Fruit-trees ? we may obferve that 

 the main difference between thefe pretended diftin£fc 

 Species, confifls in the figure and tafte of the Fruity 

 or Pericarpium ; which accidents are alfo wholly to 

 be attributed to the difference of the Soil, and the va- 

 rious ways of Infition. For the means, and I fuf- 

 pe& the only means, to get new Fruits, is by fowing 

 the Seeds or Kernels of Apples and Pears in good 

 Ground, which will give you wildings of a different 

 figure and tafte from their mother Fruits, whofe 

 taftes may be pended and improv'd by Infition. But 

 that by Infition new forts of Pears or Apples (I mean 

 different both as to figure, colour, magnitude and 

 tafte) may be produced, is. to me fcarcp credible ; be- 

 caufe I have hitherto embraced for an univerfal and 

 undoubted Maxim, That the Fruit follows the Cyon. 



As for Plants of firiped or variegated Leaves 5 viz. 

 gilded Box j Flolly , Alaternus , Rofemary^ Bitter- 

 fwcet) Mugwcrt* ByJJbp^ Mint^ Thyme^ &c. there is 

 lefs reafon to allow them to be different Species, than 

 either the forementioned Flowers and Fruits - y becaufe 

 that by feveral applications to the Roots of thofe 

 Plants^ they may be To alter'd from the ordinary Co- 

 lours : Thefe Marks being but the fymptoms of a 

 |Tiorbid Gonftitutipn of the Plant, induced by the fore- 

 laid applications. And 3 as we obferved in Flowers, 

 rs* ' » < * v *' " ; * s ". - v " ' % f! * 1 * the 



