264 
JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 
imitated by watering inland plants with a saline solution. 
Hence it is customary to give salt to some maritime plants 
which are cultivated, as Asparagus and Sea Kale ; while all the 
cabbage tribe would doubtless be assisted by it, if it were 
thought necessary, as they are natives of sea-cliffs; but they 
retain their fleshy character by heredity. 
Several plants growing at Bad Nauheim, 200 miles from the 
nearest sea-coast, have acquired a fleshy texture in consequence 
of the abundance of saline waters there. 
Variegation .—This phenomenon is produced by several 
causes ; though it is not quite clear why some plants with a 
variegated foliage may grow in the same soil with others not 
variegated. 
The general absence of colour has been called “ Chlorosis,” 
and the disease appears to be the result of the absence or defi¬ 
ciency of certain ingredients in the soil requisite for a vigorous 
growth and a fully green colour. 
' Thus, a variegated strawberry remained constant so long as 
it grew in a dry soil; but when it was transferred to a cold or 
moist one, its variegation quickly disappeared. A variegated 
laurel grew' well in a not very deep soil for three years, but when 
the roots could penetrate into the sub-soil composed of chalk, 
the leaves became green again. 
Professor A. Church has investigated the subject, and finds 
that Chlorosis may be divided into four groups—(1) Etiolation , 
due to insufficient light; (2) Albinism , when there is a relative 
excess of potash and deficiency of lime; (3) Ictems, due to a 
deficiency of iron ; (4) Wheat-yelloiu, on account of a deficiency 
of potash. 
Mr. Penhallon found that Peach-yellow was due to a defi¬ 
ciency of magnesia. 
Following these discoveries, it seems obvious that experi¬ 
ments might be made in which soils deficient in the above- 
mentioned ingredients might be used, to see if variegation could 
not be induced. As, however, all cases of variegation are 
abnormal and unhealthy conditions, it is probable that a perma¬ 
nency would be difficult to secure, unless the soil remained of 
the same character to produce it. Still, as M. Carriere observes 
of plants, “ everything tends to become hereditary,” therefore 
variegations may in time become so fixed in the constitution, 
