THE HISTORY of most garden vegetables is obscure. In the oldest writings nearly every vegetable form is noted, and so far as we can learn they were as successfully grown as at the present day. Asparagus is men. tioned by Cato 200 years B. C, and Pliny mentioned a sort that grows in his garden at Ravenna, of which three heads would weigh a pound. The Emperor Tiberius had melons on his table every day in the year, and cucumbers, beans and leeks are frequently mentioned in the most ancient writngs. In fact many authorities agree in saying that the origin of garden vegetables is largely unknown. While but little is known of the origin of the differ ent forms, and whether what we term wild plants are degenerate forms or whether our cultivated forms are regenerate forms, are still questions a-waiting answers. Certain it is that varieties are constantly changing; many forms we knew fifty years ago have passed away and others have taken their places. The influences that bring about these changes are what we wish to consider, as it is upon these that future development depends.

When the earth was first clothed with plants, nature fitted each for the position it was to occupy. While the principle that governs all is the same, the mission that each has to fill is entirely separate and distinct; no two are alike, and no two derive the same elements from soil and atmosphere. Consequently when a plant was removed from its native habitat into new fields and among new elements, it had from necessity to undergo a change in order to adapt itself to the conditions in which it was placed, and that in most instances for self-preservation. A marked illustration of this may be seen in the Horse chestnut (AEsculus Hippotastanum) a native of Asia, where the climate is much milder than our own. Its buds are covered thickly with a gummy substance, which protects the tender interior from cold and wet. As the sun gains power, the gummy covering melts and yields to the expanding pressure from within, and then the scales on which it is overlaid fall off, and the delicate green leaves are rapidly unfolded. This tree will endure the rigors of a New England winter, where the temperature is at least 50 degrees colder in winter than in its native home.

But nature comes to the rescue; the farther north the tree is taken the heavier is the coating of wax or gum that protects the bud.

All vegetable forms change or adapt themselves to the climate in which they are placed. The variation of plants through climatic influences is more marked than is generally supposed. In fact, climatic influences have more to do in changing the character of vegetable forms and properties than all other causes combined. No more striking instances of this can be noted than was shown in the production of the Belgian carrot. This affords a most valuable and conclusive illustration, as it is one of the few recorded instances where, by systematic effort, a wild plant, entirely worthless, has been so improved by cultivation and selection that a noxious weed has developed into a vegetable, valuable either as a garden or field crop. The Belgian carrot is derived from Daucus carota, the wild carrot, which has small dry sticklike roots of exceedingly high flavor. The history of its transformation is interesting and valuable, because the knowledge may assist in the development of other forms. Several investigators have endeavored to improve the wild carrot.

Prominent among the many enthusiasts in this branch of study was M. Pousard, a French scientist, who had been successful in improving the wild parsnip, but he utterly failed in his effort to ennoble the wild carrot, Decaisne, after repeated trials with it, gave up in despair, and came to the conclusion that the cultivated forms were especially created for the use of man. M. Vilmorin, the well-known French seedsman, undertook a series of experiments in the development of the wild carrot, the result of which was most satisfactory. He gathered seed from plants which grew by the sea-side and cultivated them far away from saline influences; he succeeded in obtaining perfectly tender edible roots of large size, and perfectly smooth, in four generations - the variety which is to-day known as the White Belgian carrot. While his efforts were perfectly successful from seeds grown by the seaside, under the same treatment and under the same conditions be could not effect any change with seeds gathered from plants which grew inland.

As the seed sown in both cases was from the same species, and each treated in precisely the same manner, under the same natural conditions, the only inference to be drawn is, that the marked development was due entirely to climatic influence.

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A further illustration of susceptibility is shown in the origin of the Student parsnip. In 1847, Prof. Buckman gathered from the Cotswold hills, England, which are noted for their hard, gravelly, clay loam and generally barren aspect, some seeds of the wild parsnip, which is among the most frequent of weeds. This seed was sown at a great distance from where they grew, in the usual manner, in the spring of 1848. As the plants grew they were duly thinned out, leaving for the crop as far as it could be done, the specimens that had leaves with the broadest divisions, lightest color and fewest hairs. The first crop of roots from this wild seed presented great diversities in shape, being for the most part even more marked than the original, but still with a general tendency to fleshiness. Of these the best were reserved for seeding. The seed produced in 1849 was sown in 1850, the crop showing still greater improvement, not only in shape but fleshiness. These experiments were carried on from year to year until 1859, when the variety* had become so perfect in form, clear in outline, delicate in skin, and unexceptionable in flavor, that Prof. Buckman was induced by the Messrs. Sutton, of London, to have it distributed, and they named it "Student." It is claimed, and we think justly, that this variety is more constant, or less liable to deteriorate, under favorable circumstances, or under ordinary cultivation, than any other variety.

We have noted these instances to show what can be accomplished by persistent systematic efforts ; also to show the importance of selecting such varieties as are best adapted to the positions they are to occupy. It is folly to attempt the growing of everything in a given locality. Some things will do well, others not, experiment alone will prove that which is best. Having found it develop to the utmost its capabilities.

Long Island. C. L. Allen.