December 12, 1896. 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
227 
PLANTS & ROOTS . . 
. . FOR FORCING. 
Sea Kale, extra strong, .. .. per ioo, 16 /- 
Asparagus, extra strong .. .. ,, 217 - 
Lilac, Marie Legray, and Charles the Tenth ; pot 
grown and full of buds, per dozen, 30 /-; Azalea 
Mollis, Selected "Improved” Seedling, with from 40 
to 70 buds, per dozen, 24 /-; Deutzia Gracilis, strong, 
pot grown, per dozen, 9 /-. 
CUNNINGHAM & WYLLIE, 
98, Mitchell Street, Glasgow. 
Edited by J. FRASER F.L.S. 
SATURDAY , DECEMBER 12th, 1896. 
NEXT WEEK’S ENGAGEMENTS. 
Tuesday, December 15th. —Royal Horticultural Society: 
Meeting of Committees at 12 o'clock. 
“S HE Survival of the Unlike.”* —This 
I is the title of a book, consisting of 
ev 01 ution essays, which have been written 
at various times by Professor L. H. Bailey, 
ofthe Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, 
and read by him at the meetings of 
different horticultural societies when called 
upon to address them on some topic or 
other relating to this branch of science. 
The title is taken from the heading of the 
first chapter. We are already familiar with 
some of the teachings and deductions the 
author has made from his numerous obser¬ 
vations, whether purely of a scientific 
nature or more or less decidedly and direct¬ 
ly bearing upon practical horticulture. One 
who devotes a great amount of time to a 
subject, making and recording original ob¬ 
servations, that is, who goes directly to the 
book of nature for his gleanings, is always 
worth listening to; but at the same time we 
must bear in mind and make due allowances 
for differences of climate and cultivation that 
may exist in other countries from whence 
the information may be drawn, when 
applying the instruction to horticulture at 
home. A large amount of the information 
furnished by Professor Bailey on this 
occasion, is of a scientific nature, though 
much of it is also experimental and histori¬ 
cal. The book, moreover, embraces a wide 
variety of subjects dealt with in a popular 
way, and can readily be comprehended as 
a rule by readers who may take the trouble 
to think as well as read. It is divided into 
three parts, each consisting of allied sub¬ 
jects grouped together ; and includes thirty 
chapters or essays in all. 
The bolder problems of organic evolution 
are attacked in the first two essays, 
which are if anything more scientific and 
difficult to follow, but none the less interest¬ 
ing on that account. The author explains 
that in this collection of essays, the under¬ 
lying motive is the stress which he lays 
upon “ unlikenesses ” amongst plants, and 
their survival because they are “ unlike.” 
The old assumption was that like produces 
like ; but Professor Bailey takes a some¬ 
what different view of the subject, and 
•The Survival of the Unlike.— A Collection of 
Evolution Essays Suggested by the Study of 
Domestic plants. By L. H. Bailey. Published by 
The Macmillan Company, 66, Fifth Avenue, New 
York ; London : Macmillan & Co.. Ltd., 1896. Price 
two dollars (about 8s, 4d.) 
believes that heredity is an acquired force. 
Organisms originally simple have become 
complex because unlike produces unlike, 
in fact, has done, and continues to do so. 
We are all familiar with the expression, 
like as two peas, but anyone who takes the 
trouble to observe for himself will find that 
peas even in the same pod are often very un¬ 
like. The professor goes on to say that the 
closer we are able to approach to the primitive 
and unspecialised forms of life, the more 
we are impressed with the weakness of 
hereditary power; hence his reasons for 
assuming that it has been acquired by 
living organisms during the course of geo 
logical ages. As far as we can determine, 
his belief is that no two individual organisms 
ever are or have been exactly alike, not¬ 
withstanding any close similarity of allied 
subjects. What he says on this point will 
be more clearly brought home to the mind 
of the reader who studies his chapter on 
the natural history of synonyms, which 
furnishes many valuable suggestions to the 
practical cultivator and raiser of new 
varieties. The author quotes H. S. Williams 
in “Geological Biology” that “mutability 
is the fundamental law of organisms,” and 
reasoning from that point of view considers 
it an inconsistency to continue the dogma 
that like produces like. Naegeli, a great 
thinker and author, pomulgated a similar 
theory in somewhat different words. His 
idea was that “ the idioplasm of every 
organism tends to become more and more 
complex ;that is, to become more and more 
completely differentiated physiologically 
and therefore morphologically.” From 
this point of view it can readily be conceived 
that evolution is the expression of some¬ 
thing more than fortuitous variation; on 
the other hand it would be the “inevitable 
outcome of a fundamental property of 
living matter.” 
Professor Bailey’s diagnosis of the evolu¬ 
tion of plants and animals along two 
different lines cf development from one 
original starting point, is certainly interest¬ 
ing* reading, but as far as originality of 
thought is concerned and the promulgation 
of the same, he considers that, if he is 
entitled to the honour of having contributed 
anything to positive science, it is on the 
subject of bud-variation as given in the 
third chapter of his book. 
Leaving aside the more scientific essays, 
the cultivator will derive more direct 
advantage by a study of such subjects as 
experimental evolution amongst plants; Van 
Mons and Knight, and the production of 
varieties; some bearings of the evolution¬ 
teaching upon plant cultivation ; a sketch 
of the philosophy of weedinees; and why 
have our enemies increased ? These are 
the headings of chapters, under each of 
which a greater or less amount of useful 
information is given. The problem of the 
greater increase of injurious insects and 
fungi in our gardens and orchards dur¬ 
ing modern times, is discussed at some 
length, and bears out many of the state¬ 
ments which we made and for which we 
Qontended some years ago when speaking 
on the subject of insect pests and fungi. 
Professor Bailey says that there is something 
like an equilibrium between plants and 
animals in a perfectly wild region of the 
earth’s surface ; but that when the inter¬ 
relations between one and the other are 
disturbed, by whatever cause, a fresh 
movement is induced in order to restore 
that equilibrium. When forests are 
uprooted, or animals destroyed through the 
agency of man, others of the same or 
different kinds strive to occupy the space 
rendered vacant. The destruction of the 
original vegetation, in order to allow of the 
cultivation of the land, brings a host of 
fresh arrivals, which in the case of insects 
and other animals may be highly injurious 
to the cultivated plants. The increase of 
the latter under the care of man means a 
great increase of the food supply of these 
invading pests. We cannot therefore be 
surprised that these enemies should increase 
in a like ratio to the quantity of food brought 
within their reach. If, for instance, the 
birds that feed upon certain insects are 
either killed or driven away, the insects will 
be liable to increase with great rapidity, pro¬ 
vided other conditions are equal, and may be¬ 
come a nuisance to the cultivator. In modern 
times man is the most disturbing element 
of the natural or original order of things on 
the face of the earth. For this reason he 
is obliged to wage a continual war against 
insect pests and fungi in field, garden and 
orchard. 
Other chapters of an interesting character 
deal with the longevity of Apple trees, 
reflections upon the longevity of varieties, 
as illustrated by Apples and |Tomatos, 
novelties whether worth their cost, and 
why promising varieties fail. In speaking 
of the natural history of synonyms, the 
author considers that the more numerous 
the latter are, the plant or plants to which 
they refer, are the more likely to be valuable, 
and the synonyms merely an index of their 
popularity. He looks upon all seedlings as 
well as trees propagated by grafting or 
budding, as differing more or less from one 
another, however trivial the variations 
may be. The true synonyms are those 
only which have been given outright to one 
and the same type, that is, in cases of 
re-naming. Altogether the book runs to 
515 P a g es > including a copious index, and 
is printed in large and easily readable type. 
- - 
Mr. 0 . F. Cook takes the position of Curator of the 
Cryptogamic collections of the National Herbarium 
U. S. A. 
Mr. M. B. Waite has been appointed Professor of 
Botany in the Graduate School of the Georgetown 
University U. S. A. 
Mr. Robert Stuart has been appointed gardener 
to G. Thompson, Esq., Pitmedden House, Dyce, 
Aberdeenshire. He had previously been employed 
at Norwood Hall, Cults, Aberdeenshire. 
Mr. James Cowie, gardener for some time past to 
V. L. Oliver, Esq., Whitmore Lodge, Sunningdale, 
Berks, has been appointed gardener to Sir Thomas 
Lucas, Bart., Heathfield House, Ascot. 
Hardy Fruit culture seems to be following a re¬ 
trograde movement in Devon, Cornwall, Somerset 
and Hereford, the counties most suitable for this 
enterprise, and where we should expect to find the 
greatest increase. 
Garden Insects was the subject treated upon by 
Mr. Berry at the Broadhempston horticulture class 
on Tuesday December 1st. The lecture was illus¬ 
trated by lantern slides. Mr. Berry gave a very 
clear and succient account of the insects which 
worked harm amongst our vegetable crops. 
Royal Horticultural Society —May I ask you to be 
so kind as to allow me the use of your columns to ask 
the members of the Fruit Committee to come to the 
next meeting on December 15th prepared to revise 
the pamphlet "Fruits for Cottagers ” published in 
1892. About 65,000 copies have been distributed 
and a new edition is now wanted and the expediency 
of revision has been suggested.— W. Wilks, See. 
Edinburgh Seed Trade. — The seed trade assistants 
of Edinburgh held their annual dinner in Messrs. 
Aitchison's Rooms, Queen Street, on the evening of 
Thursday, 3rd inst., under the presidency of Mr. 
Sclater. Over a hundred gentlemen sat down to an 
excellent menu. After the usual loyal and patriotic 
toasts, a very enjoyable programme of song and 
sentiment was gone through in a creditable manner 
by several talented amateurs. Fifteen seed houses 
in the city were strongly represented, and the com¬ 
mittee are to be congratulated on a highly successful 
gathering. 
