316 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
October  1,  1898. 
Next  to  the  Doctor,  perhaps  Mr.  Barron  has  had  to  deal  with 
the  greatest  number  of  samples  of  Apples  of  all  sizes,  shapes,  and 
colours  sent  from  various  parts  of  the  country,  and  it  may  be 
regarded  as  certain  that  he  would  often  have  been  glad  to  know, 
a»  he  has  not  always  known,  the  district  in  which  they  were  grown, 
This  goes  to  show  that  the  fruits  are  influenced  by  something, 
which  has  come  to  be  known  as  environment,  though  an  old  and 
much  respected  writer  of  the  Journal  has  stated  that  he  did  not 
like  the  new  f angled  word,  and  has  not  used  it  since  he  quoted 
it  for  the  purpose  indicated.  There  it  is,  however,  and  though 
often  used  in  a  pedantic  way,  ic  seems  to  come  in  handy  now  and 
then  in  a  case  of  mystery  that  cannot  very  well  be  explained. 
The  remarks  we  have  made  also  go  to  show  that  senders  of  fruit 
for  naming  should  choose  developed  characteristic  specimens,  with 
unbroken  stalks  and  undamaged  eyes,  also  state  the  locality  in 
which  the  fruits  were  grown.  In  a  further  communication  with 
Mr.  Henslow  he  has  sent  a  contribution  of  bis  own,  reprinted  from 
“Natural  Science,”  that  we  are  at  liberty  to  use.  As  there  is  much 
of  interest  in  it,  though  something  that  everyone  will  not  agree 
with,  as  bearing  on  the  point  in  question,  we  insert  it  as  follows  : — 
Bud  Vabiatiox  and  Evolution. 
Mr.  L.  H,  Bailey  has  lately  published  an  interestiner  paper  on  this 
subject,*  treating  the  well-known  phenomenon  of  bud  variation  from 
rather  a  novel  point  of  view.  He  observes  that  the  evolution  of  the 
higher  animals,  at  least,  has  proceeded  in  accordance  with  a  different 
law  from  that  of  plants,  and  it  is  the  object  of  his  paper  to  emphasise 
the  recognition  of  the  fact  of  asexual  evolution  in  the  vegetable  kingdom. 
When  we  remember  that,  on  the  ascending  scale  of  life,  the  whole  of 
the  vegetable  kingdom  has  never  risen  much  above  the  level  of  coralSj 
inasmuch  as  well  nigh  any  portion  of  the  highest  plant  is  capable  of 
reproducing  all  the  phenomena  of  the  entire  plant,  his  contention  seems 
feasible.  He  observes,  “  The  mere  fact  that  the  phyton  for  assumed 
plant  unif]  may  reproduce  itself  is  not  the  most  important  point,  but 
rather  that  each  part  of  the  plant  may  respond  in  a  different  manner  Op 
degree  to  the  effects  of  environment.”  As  no  two  peas  are  precisely 
alike,  so  no  two  branches  on  the  same  tree  are  identically  the  same  in 
every  point  of  structure  ;  for  “variation  among  the  sisterhood  or  colony 
of  branches  is  determined  by  very  much  the  same  conditions  which 
determine  variation  in  independent  plants  growing  in  the  soil.  1  believe 
that  the  primary  and  most  important  determinant  of  this  variation  is 
the  variation  in  food  supply.”  Hence  follows  a  struggle  for  existence 
among  the  developing  buds  of  a  tree,  strictly  parallel  to  that  among  a 
number  of  individuals  growing  thickly  together.  There  are  weakly 
developing  branches  and  strong  branches,  and  “  the  survival  of  the  fittest 
the  constitutionally  strongest]  is  Nature’s  method  of  pruning.” 
With  regard  to  bud  variation,  properly  so  called,  which  involves  not 
merely  vigour— even  if  it  have  that — but  some  change  in  form  and 
aopearance  of  the  organs  it  may  bear,  Mr.  Bailey  shows  that  there  is 
abundant  asexual  variation,  and  that  this  variation  takes  place  as  readily 
when  the  phyton  is  growing  upon  a  plant  as  when  growing  in  the  soil. 
Now,  every  branch  or  phyton  is  in  an  incipient  degree  a  bud  variety — 
f.?.,  as  a  rule,  only  in  minute  or  inconspicuous  features.  Nevertheless, 
e?en  in  these  the  practical  horticulturist  recognises  important  differences, 
for  “he  instructs  his  budders  to  cut  buds  only  from  the  topmost  shoots 
of  the  nursery  rows  in  order  that  he  may  grow  straight,  vigorous  trees  ; 
a  id  every  farmer’s  boy  knows  that  the  reddest  and  earliest  Apples  grow 
on  the  uppermost  branches,  and  his  father  will  always  tell  him  that  he 
should  never  select  scions  from  the  centre  or  lower  part  of  a  tree.”  This 
practice  rests  on  the  principle  of  acquired  characters  being  hereditary 
in  plants,  expressed  by  M.  Carridre  thirty  years  ago  in  the  following 
wordbl : — “  Faisons  aussi  remarquer  que  les  diverses  combinaisons  faites 
pour  perpetuer  les  variates,  ou  pour  en  obtenir  de  nouvelles,  reposet  sur 
cette  loi  g^n^rale  que  dans  la  nature,  tout  tend  a  se  reproduire  et  mSme 
k  s’^tendre,  que  par  consequent  les  modifications  peuvent  non-seulement 
devenir  h^reditaires,  mais  qn’elles  peuvent  encore  seivir  de  moyen  pour 
arriver  A  d’autres  modifications,  a  ^tendre  et  4  multiplier  de  plus  en  plus 
les  B4ries  typiques.” 
Bud  variation,  however,  as  ordinarily  understood,  consists  of  only 
the  more  extreme  and  readily  noticeable  forms  of  variations,  as  when 
*  “  The  Plant  Individual  in  the  Light  of  Evolution.”  Address  before  the 
Biological  Society  of  Washington,  January  12th,  189.5.  (“Science,”  new 
series,  vol.  i.,  p.  281,  March  15th,  1895.) 
t  “  Production  et  Fixation  des  Yarietes  dans  les  Yegetaux,”  p.  9.  Paris, 
I860. 
a  Nectarine  is  borne  on  a  Peach  tree,  or  laciniate  or  variegated  leave 
appear  on  a  tree  that  ordinarily  has  entire  or  green  leaves  respectively, 
and  the  like. 
The  important  point  which  Mr.  Bailey  proves  is,  that  bud  variation 
and  seed  variation  aie  not  only  strictly  parallel  phenomena,  but  are 
really  of  one  kind  ;  for  horticulturists  can  bring  selection  to  bear  on 
plants  raised  from  bud  variation,  or  plants  propagated  by  buds,  and 
so  “  improve”  them  and  fix  varieties,  just  as  they  do  with  seedlings,  The 
author  quotes  the  following  passage  of  Darwin’sJ  : — “  To  my  surprise  T 
hear  from  Mr.  Salter  that  he  brings  the  great  principle  of  selection  to 
bear  on  variegated  plants  propagated  by  buds,  and  has  thus  greatly 
improved  and  fixed  several  varieties.  He  informs  me  that  at  first  a- 
branch  often  produces  variegated  leaves  on  one  side  alone,  and 
that  the  leaves  are  marked  only  with  an  irregular  edging,  or  vith 
a  few  lines  of  white  and  yellow.  To  improve  and  fix  such  varieties, 
he  finds  it  necessary  to  encourage  the  buds  at  the  bases  of  the  most  dis¬ 
tinctly  marked  leaves,  and  to  propagate  from  them  alone.  By  following 
with  perseverance  this  plan  during  three  or  four  successive  seasons,  a 
distinct  and  fixed  variety  can  generally  be  secured.” 
As  another  parallel  between  bud  and  seed  variation,  Mr.  Bailey  says  ;■ 
“  It  is  well  known  tlat  the  seedlings  of  plants  become  more  variable 
as  the  species  is  cultivated  ;  and  it  is  also  true  that  bud  varieties  are 
more  frequent  and  more  marked  in  cultivated  plants,”  many  plante 
having  great  “  sporting  ”  tendencies,  as  in  certain  sections  of  Boses, 
Chrysanthemums,  &c.  The  general  cause  is  the  same  for  both  kinds 
of  variation— namely,  the  environment ;  or  in  the  words  of  Darwin  : — 
"  When  we  ask  ourselves  what  is  the  cause  of  any  particular  bud 
variation,  we  are  lost  in  doubt,  being  driven  in  some  [all  ?]  cases  to- 
look  to  the  direct  [or  indirect]  action  of  the  external  conditions  of  life,  as 
sufficient.” 
Again,  as  crossing  is  common  among  flowers,  so  graft  hybrids  are 
possible.  One  stock  or  scion  may  so  influence  the  other  as  to  cause  it  to 
produce  buds  partially  or  greatly  like  itself.  Seeds  of  a  cultivated 
scion  when  grafted  on  a  wild  stock  may  be  so  affected  as  to  reproducer 
the  wild  form.  Other  instances  are  well  known. 
Mr.  Bailey  next  draws  attention  to  the  seminal  reproduction  of  hud- 
varieties,  as,  e^.,  the  Moss  Rose.  On  the  other  band,  as  “some  seed> 
varieties  will  not  ‘  come  true  ’  by  cuttings,  so  also  there  are  some  bud 
sports  which  will  not.” 
Lastly,  “in  proof  of  the  further  similarity  of  bud  and  seed  variations,, 
each  class  follows  the  incidental  laws  of  external  resemblance  which 
pertain  to  the  other  class.  For  instance,  there  are  analogous  variations 
in  each,  giving  rise  to  the  same  kinds  of  variegations,  the  same  anomalies 
of  cut  and  coloured  foliage,  of  creeping  branches,  parti-coloured  fruit, 
and  the  like  .  .  .  The  most  expert  observer  is  not  able  to  distinguish 
between  bud  varieties  and  seed  varieties ;  the  only  way  of  distinguishing 
the  two  is  by  mtans  of  the  records  of  their  origins.” 
Mr.  Bailey  next  discusses  more  fully  the  most  important  point  of 
truly  asexual  variation  as  a  source  of  the  origin  of  species.  He- 
enumerates  several  plants  which  have  produced,  under  cultivation,  many 
varieties,  but  have  never  been  known  to  bear  seed,  such  as  the  Pine- 
Apple,  Banana,  Bread  fruit,  Weeping  Willow,  “  top  ”  Onion,  and  Horse¬ 
radish.  Of  fruit  trees,  be  describes  the  interesting  case  of  the  Newtown 
Pippin  Apple,  which  has  been  widely  spread  by  grafting.  He  tells  us 
that  it  originated  upon  Long  Island,  New  York.  In  Virginia  it  varied 
into  the  “  Albemarle  Pippin,”  an  inferior  kind.  It  has  varied  again  in 
the  extreme  North-Western  States,  “being  much  longer,  and  bearing^ 
distince  ridges  about  the  apex.” 
This  last  form  has  varied  again  in  New  South  Wales,  the  ridges- 
becoming  more  marked,  and  is  called  the  “Five-crowned  Pippin.’” 
That  the  causes  are  attributable  to  the  environment,  such  as  climate,. 
&c.,  is  obvious,  from  the  fact  that  “most  north-eastern  varieties  of 
Apples  tend  to  take  on  the  elongated  form  in  the  Pacific  North-West,, 
to  become  heavy  grained  and  coarse  striped  in  the  Mississippi  Valley 
and  the  Plains,  and  to  take  other  characteristic  forms  in  the  higher 
lands  of  the  South  Atlantic  States.” 
He  notes  the  rapidity  with  which  the  asexual  changes  are  sometimes 
brought  about :  “  Within  two  years  the  Chilian  Strawberry  varied  or 
departed  from  its  wild  type  so  wfdely  as  to  be  indistinguishable  from 
the  common  garden  Strawberry,  so  that  we  have  here  a  most, interesting 
case  of  sexless  evolution,  but  one  in  which  tbe  subsequent  generationa- 
reproduce  these  characters  of  sexless  origin  by  means  of  seeds.” 
Mr.  Bailey  further  observes  that,  since  evolution  by  asexual  varia¬ 
tion  can  take  place  under  cultivation,  it  will  be  able  to  do  so  in  nature 
whenever  plants  can  be  multiplied  and  distributed  by  detachments  from 
J  “Animals  and  Plants  under  Domestication,”  i.,  p.  411. 
