A 



JOURNAL 



OF 



NATURAL PHILOSOPHY, CHEMISTRY, 



AND 



THE ARTS, 



JULY, 1809, 



ARTICLE L 



On the Impregnation of the Seed> and first Shooting of the 

 Nerve of Life, in the Embryo of Plants. In a Letter 

 from A. Ibbetson, Esq. 



F< 



SIR, 



- 



OR many years botany and the study of the anatomy 

 of plants have been my favourite occupation in solitude, nor 

 had I any intention to subject that, which was undertaken 

 only as a recreation, to the notice of the public : but some 

 curious details having occurred, which appear to me not well 

 known, if you think them worthy a place in your excellent 

 Journal, they are at your service. 



The very exact description that has been given by many Difficulties in 

 intelligent botanists of the growth of the infant plant, from the stud y« 

 the time the seed is ripe for the Earth, renders it unneces- 

 sary for any one to repeat, what has been so well detailed ; 

 but there are curious particulars, preceding this time, of 

 which little is said, and still less understood; which I have 



Vol. XXUI. No. 1Q3.~Jui,y, 1809. M long 



