Darwin 'Phytologia' 1800 page 451.) In the great work on China published in the last century by the Jesuits, and which is chiefly compiled from ancient Chinese encyclopaedias, it is said that with sheep "improving the breed consists in choosing with particular care the lambs which are destined for propagation, in nourishing them well, and in keeping the flocks separate." The same principles were applied by the Chinese to various plants and fruit-trees. (20/48. 'Memoire sur les Chinois' 1786 tome 11 page 55; tome 5 page 507.) An imperial edict recommends the choice of seed of remarkable size; and selection was practised even by imperial hands, for it is said that the Ya-mi, or imperial rice, was noticed at an ancient period in a field by the Emperor Khang-hi, was saved and cultivated in his garden, and has since become valuable from being the only kind which will grow north of the Great Wall. (20/49. 'Recherches sur l'Agriculture des Chinois' par L. D'Hervey Saint-Denys 1850 page 229. With respect to Khang-hi see Huc's 'Chinese Empire' page 311.) Even with flowers, the tree paeony (P. moutan) has been cultivated, according to Chinese traditions, for 1400 years; between 200 and 300 varieties have been raised, which are cherished like tulips formerly were by the Dutch. (20/50. Anderson in 'Linn. Transact.' volume 12 page 253.) Turning now to semi-civilised people and to savages: it occurred to me, from what I had seen of several parts of South America, where fences do not exist, and where the animals are of little value, that there would be absolutely no care in breeding or selecting them; and this to a large extent is true. Roulin (20/51. 'Mem. de l'Acad.' (divers savants), tome 6 1835 page 333.), however, describes in Columbia a naked race of cattle, which are not allowed to increase, on account of their delicate constitution. According to Azara (20/52. 'Des Quadrupedes du Paraguay' 1801 tome 2 pages 333, 371.) horses are often born in Paraguay with curly hair; but, as the natives do not like them, they are destroyed. On the other hand, Azara states that a hornless bull, born in 1770, was preserved and propagated its race. I was informed of the existence in Banda Oriental of a breed with reversed hair; and the extraordinary niata cattle first appeared and have since been kept distinct in La Plata. Hence certain conspicuous variations have been preserved, and others have been habitually destroyed, in these countries, which are so little favourable for careful selection. We have also seen that the inhabitants sometimes introduce fresh cattle on their estates to prevent the evil effects of close interbreeding. On the other hand, I have heard on reliable authority that the Gauchos of the Pampas never take any pains in selecting the best bulls or stallions for breeding; and this probably accounts for the cattle and horses being remarkably uniform in character throughout the immense range of the Argentine republic.