"H. B. H.," Oakland, Cal., writes : " Your answers to correspondents are very interesting indeed to us, and we find our own experience described very often exactly in them. In your May number you quote as authority Mr. Darwin in reference to cross fertilization. We are frequently much perplexed in this matter and must admit that we often find evidences of mixed or blended colors in cuttings or slips raised from old plants. I have reference to carnations. I have in my mind now several instances, more particularly in buffs and yellows. Is it a fact confirmed by the experience of carnation growers that, ' plants propagated from cuttings, slips or in any way other than from seed, retain the individuality of the parent plant;' or do they not sometimes show other colors than those of the parent plant? With all due respect to Mr. Darwin's authority I should be very much pleased to hear from the growers themselves - who have occasion to notice these things practically - and, as your valuable journal shows in each and every number, they are willing to give the world the benefit of their experience".

[Mr. Darwin, in common with most scientific men, had to "live and learn." He collected all the facts that were known in his time, and, if we know more now, that in a great measure comes from the spirit of investigation which in a great measure his good work excited. As to the cause of variation Mr. Darwin never, that we know, undertook to explain. But the fact of variation being assumed and which no one can deny, he showed how what we call species came into existence - chiefly by the dropping out of intermediate forms, which then became " missing links." His postulate that " plants propagated from cuttings retain the individuality of the parent plant," is not so strong now as it was in Darwin's time. What is now known as bud variation is found to be much more common than it was once thought to be. Still, as compared with variation from seed it may still be accepted as a general truth, that plants retain their individuality from cuttings, though we admit many exceptions. - Ed. G. M].