C *95 1 
XII. An Account of some Experiments on the Fecundation of 
Vegetables. In a Letter from Thomas Andrew Knight, Esq. 
to the Right Hon. Sir Joseph Banks, K. B. P. R. S. 
Read May 9, 1799. 
Elton, April 25, 1799. 
T he result of some experiments which I have amused myself 
in making on plants, appearing to me to be interesting to the 
naturalist, by proving the existence of superfoetation in the ve- 
getable world, and being likely to conduce to some improve- 
ments in agriculture, I have taken the liberty to communicate 
them to you. 
The breeders of animals have very long entertained an opi- 
nion, that considerable advantages are obtained by breeding 
from males and females not related to each other. Though 
this opinion has lately been controverted, the number of its 
opposers has gradually diminished ; and I can speak from my 
own observation and experience, that animals degenerate, in 
size at least, on the same pasture, and in other respects under 
the same management, when this process of crossing the breed 
is neglected. 
'The close analogy between the animal and vegetable world, 
and the sexual system equally pervading both, induced me to 
suppose, that similar means might be productive of similar ef- 
fects in each ; and the event has, I think, fully justified this 
