Germination and raifing of. Ferns from the Seed. | 95 
about the 12th day after fowing, when many of the {mall feeds, - 
reprefented at 6 in the annexed plate, had put on a greenifh 
colour, and fome were pufhing out their little germ, like a fmall 
protuberance, the rudiment of the new fern, as at 8. This little 
protuberance gradually enlarged, and fucceflively put on the ap- 
 pearances at 9, 10, and 11. They had acquired -fmall roots, and the 
remains of the little feeds were ftill difcernible where the roots of 
the infant plant commenced. Although the young ferns were now 
very confpicuous by the microfcope, the naked eye could fee nothing 
_ but a green appearance on the fürface of the mould, as if it were 
covered with fome very fmall mofs: this was the numberlefs young 
plants from the quantity of the feed fown. In fome weeks this 
mofs began to appear to the naked eye like fmall fcales, as at 13, 
which gradually enlarged, as at 14: they were generally of a roundifh 
figure, fomewhat bilobate, but fometimes more irregular; they were 
of a membranous fubftance, like fome of the fmall /ichens or liver- — 
worts, for which they might readily be miftaken, and of a dark - 
green colour. At laft there arifes from this membrane a fmall leaf, 
different from it in colour and appearance, as at 15, and fhortly 
. after another ftill more different, as at 16, Now each fucceeding leaf 
grows larger than the laft, till they attain the full fize, and are 
5 complete in all theparts and difcriminatin gcharaéters of their refpec- 
tive fpecies. Some of the above obfervations appearing to me new, 
I communicated them to Dr. Hope. He judicioufly offered a few 
queries, founded on the deceptions to which obfervations made by 
high magnifiers are often liable: thefe I endeavoured to anfwer; he 
was fatisfied, and promifed to lay the obfervations before the 
Royal Society of Edinburgh.— But that city foon after loft an ami- 
able member of fociety, and I a friend, whofe memory will be dear 
to me while Ilive. Engaging in the praétice of medicine foon 
-5 I thought no more of the fubjeét, till I had the honour of a 
very 
LI 
