HYBRID INTERMIXTURES. 
337 
the term species, but leaving it to imply what it had before 
universally signified in the language of botanists. Having, 
in fact, the same fundamental opinion, that the production of 
a fertile intermixture, designated the common origin of the 
parents, I held also, what experience has since in a great 
measure confirmed, that the production of any intermixture 
amongst vegetables, whether fertile or not, gave reason to 
suspect that the parents were descended from one common 
stock, and shewed that they were referable to one genus ; 
but that there was no substantial and natural difference be- 
tween what botanists had called species, and what they had 
termed varieties ; the distinction being merely in degree, and 
not absolute ; so that, without first reforming the terms used 
in botany, and ascertaining more precisely what was meant 
by a species, those who argued on the subject were fighting 
the air ; and I suggested, as my view, that the birth of an in- 
termixture afforded presumptive evidence that the parents 
were of one genus, meaning thereby kind or descent, and im- 
plying such an affinity as to enable them to breed together, 
and to induce a probability that they had diverged from one 
original created type. The real point in discussion at that 
period was, whether there did exist a positive and invariable 
line of fertility or sterility in all mixed vegetable produc- 
tions, founded upon an original identity or diversity in the 
parental stocks ; and whether it was possible for two plants, 
which were considered according to the general system of 
botanists to be distinct species, to produce a fertile cross, 
without proving an error of the subdivision in that particular 
case. Further experiments have shewn, that the sterility or 
fertility of the offspring does not depend upon original di- 
versity of stock ; and that, if two species are to be united in 
a scientific arrangement on account of a fertile issue, the 
botanist must give up his specific distinctions generally, and 
entrench himself within the genera. It has been objected 
that if any plants, now different, had descended from one 
original type, we might expect to find new forms and com- 
binations daily arising round us by the process of nature, as 
well as by artificial agency ; whereas the catalogue of Eu- 
ropean vegetables does not appear to be increased by the 
production of new plants in a wild* state ; but it is most 
* Ranunculus, Anemone, Hypericum, Scleranthus, Drosera, Potentilla, Geum, 
Medicago, Galium, Centaurea, Stachys, Rhinanthus, Digitalis, Verbascum, Gen- 
Z 
