forms, or affect the developements of organs; but do neither change nor annihilate those _essential characteristics_, by which the plant is rendered permanently distinct from every other genus and species. The floral organs of many plants are remarkably subject to modification, under the long-continued influences of soil, climate, and culture, or management. Some flowers are rendered _double_, as it is termed, by the expansion of stamens into petals; others become imperfect, and even neutral, by the abortion or blighting of the stamens, or pistils, or both. The _Strawberry_ appears to be very liable to this kind of blight; and hence the much talked of sorts, among cultivators, of _pistillates_, and _staminates_,—though in all the pistillate flowers, which I have examined, there were _vestiges_ more or less obvious, of abortive _stamens_, on the rim of the calyx. It also varies much, under culture, in some other features,—especially in the developement and character or quality of the _receptacle_, or what is commonly regarded as _fruit_: but no one, I believe, has yet seen a Strawberry plant transmuted into a _Cinquefoil_, though so nearly allied in habit. The organs of plants may be greatly disguised by the influences above mentioned; but still the essential distinguishing traits are preserved,—and there seems to be no insuperable obstacle to prevent a plant, with modified or abortive organs, from reverting, under a change of circumstances, to its original condition, and resuming its pristine form and character. The normal, or what may be called the _constitutional_ character of the Strawberry-flower, is to be _perfect_—_i. e._ furnished with both stamens and pistils (possibly such may be the true normal structure of _all_ flowers); and although many other plants, as the Strawberry, are found with _imperfect_, and even _neutral_ flowers,—every Naturalist and careful observer knows, that there is often an obvious effort and tendency, in such flowers, to a more complete development: _i. e._ to become _perfect_ and _regular_. We occasionally see _diandrous_ flowers become _didynamous_,—and _didynamous_ plants developing _regular petandrous_ flowers; and it is not at all unusual to find the _staminate tassel_ of the cultivated Maize (_Zea Mays, L._ a _monoicous_ plant,) bearing _fertile flowers_, and exhibiting a very successful attempt at the production of an _Ear_—or _cluster of Ears_—of _Indian corn_. These instances, I trust (for it is needless to multiply them,) may suffice to show that there is nothing irrational, nor incredible, in MR. MEEHAN’S observations; and that it is rather strong phraseology, to declare such phenomena to be “_utterly impossible_.” The polemic writers on this Strawberry question, speak of