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VARIETIES. 
As so much attention has lately been directed to the 
varieties of Perns, it seems desirable that some of these 
should be noticed. Our readers must not be disappointed 
if they find unusual appearances not explained. There is 
scarcely any thing in the vegetable world that is always 
uniform. Blight, insects, poverty or richness of soil, great 
drought or rain, produce marvellous changes in particular 
plants. These things are so local and confined to certain 
seasons, that it would be impossible to describe what may 
happen. All that will be attempted is to mention some 
leading and striking varieties or monstrosities. 
Great is the difference between a variety and a species. 
Man is a species of the order Being. A white, black, or 
copper-coloured man is a variety. The species man 
invariably differs from all other earthly beings in the 
possession of reason. There is no such invariable difference 
between the varieties of men. The white man gradually 
becomes darker and darker as he approaches the tropics, 
until he becomes the sable African or Indian. Just so with 
regard to the vegetable creation. One species difiers from 
another under every circumstance and aspect. Not so 
the varieties. These so gradually merge one into another, 
that the line of demarcation cannot be distinctly seen. If 
we see the extreme varieties only, we should pronounce them 
distinct species, but when we see how they shade one into 
the other, we cannot hesitate to pronounce that they are one 
and the same species. Besides varieties, monstrosities also 
