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Show 33G FRUITS. CHAP. X. artificial aid ; thns ho positively states that seeds taken from lemontrees (0. lem01wm) growing mingled with tho citron (0. medica), which is generally considered as a distinct species, produced a graduated series of varieties between these two forms. Again, an Adam's apple was produced from the seed of a sweet orange, which grow cloRo to lemons and citrons. But such facts hardly aid us in determining whether to rank these forms as species or varieties; for it is now known that undoubted species of Verbascum, Cistus, Primula, Salix, &c., frequently cross in a state of nature. If indeed it were proved that plants of the orange tribe raised from these crosses were even partially sterile, it would bo a strong aTgumcnt in favour of their rank as species. Gallesio asserts that this is tho case; but ho does not distinguish between sterility from hybridism and from the cflocts of culture; and ho almost destroys the force of this stn.tement by anothcr,t7 namely, that when he impregnated the flowers of the common orango with the pollen taken from undoubted vm·ieties of the orange, monstrous fruits were produced, which included "little pulp, and had no seeds, or imperfect seeds." In this tribe of plants we meet with instances of two highly remarkable facts in vegetable physiology: Gallcsio 18 impregnated an orange with pollen from a lemon, and the fruit borne on the mother tree had a raised stripe of peel like that of a lemon both in colour and taste, but the pulp was like that of an orange and included only imperfect seeds. The possibility of pollen from one variety or species directly affecting the frnit produced by another variety or species, is a subject which I shall fully di ·cuss in the following chapter. The second remarkable fact is that two supposed hybrids 19 (for their hybrid nature was not ascertained) between an orange and either a lemon or citron produced, on the same tree, leaves, flowers, and fruit of both pure parent-forms, as well as of a mixed or crossed nature. A bud taken from any one of tho branches and grafted on another tree produ.ces either one of the pure kinds or a capricious tree reproducing tho three kinds. Whether the sweet lemon, which includes within the same fruit segments of differently flavoured pulp,20 is an analogous case, I know not. But to this subject I shall have to recur. I will conclude by giving from A. Hisso 21 a short account of a very singular variety of tho common orange. It is tho" citrus auranti~tmfructu vctr'iubili," which on tho young shoots produces rounded-ovalleavcs spotted with yellow, borne on petioles with heart-shaped wings ; when these leaves fall off, they arc succeeded by longer and narrower leaves, with undulated margins, of a pale-green colour embroidered with yellow, borne on footstalks without wings. The fruit whilst young is pear-shaped, yellow, longitudinally striated, and sweet; but as it ripens, it becomes spherical, of a reddish-yellow, and bitter. Peach aud Nectlt?'ine (Amygdalus Pc1·sica). Tho best authorities are 17 Gallcsio, ''l'coria della Riproduzione,' p. GD. 1s G11llesio, i\1 m, p. 07. 1!1 (i-nllesio, idem, pp. 75, 76. 20 • Gardener's Chroni.clo,' 1841, p. (il3. 21 'Annales dn J\lluscum,' tom. xx. Jl· 188. CllAl>, X. PEACII AND NlWTARINE. 337 nearly unanimous that the peach bas never been found wild. It was introduced from rcrsia into Europe a little before the Christian era, and at this period few varieties cxir:;tcd. Alph. Do Candollc,22 from the fact of the peach not having spr~d from Persia at an earlier period, and from its not having f'ig. 42.- Pcacb and Almond Stones, of nnlurnl ~ir.c, viewed ed~rway~. 1. Common l~nglbh Pracb. 2. Double, crlmson.flowrred, Chinese Pcncb. :J. Chinese Uom•y Peach. 4. l<:nglish Almond. 5. Barcelona Almond. 6. Malnga Almond. 7. Sofl-~hcllcd French Almond. 8. Smyrn!\ Almond. pure Sanscrit or Hebrew names, believes that it is not an aboriginal of ~~stern Asia, but came from tho terra inco.r;nita of China. The f3UppoSltiOn, however, that the peach is a modified almond which acquired its present character at a comparatively late period, woulu, I presume, account for thoRo facts ; on the same principle that the nectarine, tho offspring of the peach, has few native names, and became known in Europe at a still later period. 22 ' Gcogmph. Uot.,' p. 882. VOL. J. z |