130 
THE FLORISTS JOURNAL. 
are changed from their normal, or common form and colour, into 
bractea, calyx, corolla, anthers, seed-vessels, and even into seeds. 
And the proofs of this susceptibility of change is, the many instances 
of all these floral members being sometimes seen changed into 
real leaves. In this doctrine we have at once a solution of the 
difficult question already alluded to ; and the inference is, that 
strong growth is barren, and stunted or weakly growth is prolific. 
It is somewhat remarkable, that the metamorphosis of the dif¬ 
ferent parts of plants into each other, should have been discovered 
as an invariable process by the German poet Goethe. His ideas, 
however, lay dormant for a considerable time, but were at last 
embraced by the eminent Professor De Candolle, of Geneva, 
who has been followed by many talented botanists, both in this 
country and on the continent. The consideration of such a doc¬ 
trine has certainly an astounding effect on the minds of those who 
have long cherished very different opinions as to the distinct and 
different organs which compose a plant. These different members 
appear to have different functions in the system ; and we flatter 
ourselves that we know somewhat about these members, and their 
functions; but that branch of botany, now called Morphology, 
nullifies many of our prepossessions, and turns us back to the lowest 
forms of the school, thence to rise again as we best may. It is not 
without some feeling of regret that we are obliged to surrender 
our former tenets, and, moreover, to witness so many of our old 
and honoured preceptors thrown into shade, and their precepts 
consigned to oblivion. 
This new doctrine of Vegetable Morphology, when more fully 
explained,—and when those changes of the floral members into 
leaves, and vice versa, are proved to be constitutional, and not 
accidental mutations,—may be of some practical value, and appli¬ 
cable in floriculture as well as in orcharding and other branches 
of gardening. At any rate its adoption will banish several fanciful 
notions promulgated by some earlier botanists. President Knight’s 
theory will be entirely swept from the science ; and the day-dreams 
of many of his disciples must share the same fate. 
There are several objections which may be urged against the 
poet Goethe’s opinion ; but these shall be brought forward at some 
future opportunity. 
April 2, 1841. 
Observer. 
