60 
THE AMERICAN BOTANIST. 
tary species in nature is doubtless due to the inhospitable 
surroundings in which the seedlings find themselves; but 
that some do persist, is shown b\^ the double flowers^ 
dwarf plants, unusual colored fruits, etc., that are con- 
stantl}^ being reported. As might be expected the annuals 
usually perish and leave no sign and it is from the peren- 
nials that the greatest number of uncultivated examples 
may be drawn. 
* * 
* 
Those v^dio have persistently objected to the making 
of new species from single variant plants will doubtless 
hail the new theory with great delight. It will be easy 
nov^ to show that many of these so-called "new species" 
are merely elementary species, and this fact alone will; 
deter some of the hair splitting botanists from rushing 
into print with species that are abnost certain to be, 
shown to be unfounded later. Had this theory been 
announced earlier we feel sure we would have been spared 
the infliction of the multitudes of ''new species" in Anten- 
naria^ Crataegus^ Viola, Aster and Sisyrinchium. What 
to call these elementary species seems still undecided. It 
will only confuse matters to give them binomials. It 
would seem only proper that each should have the generic 
and specific names of the parent species and in addition a 
single name to distinguish it. This is practically the way 
conservative botanists have named such forms, but now 
that they have the weight of the mutation theory in their 
favor it is probable that many recent species will soon be 
reduced to their proper rank. 
Not the least attractive point about ''Species and 
Varieties" is the very lucid style in which it is written. 
The general reader wnll be able to understand it easily. 
Every botanist and botanizer would do well to read it 
and all who can should own it. The price is five dollars. 
