MAGAZINE PISTOL. ^53 



tance of a femi-circumference of the chamber piece from the Defection of a 



explofion, the only effed would be that the door would be pifol which fire* 

 vi j »> • ■* »• . nine balls in fuc-f 



blown open, and this is fituated in a place where it could do cefiion by once 



no harm. The fame remark is alfo applicable to the maga- charging. 



zine for priming. 



How great the advantages muft be in battle, for a man to 

 be able to reload his piece by a fimple movement of one fe- 

 cond of time, without taking his eye off his enemy ; or how 

 confiderably ufeful this invention might prove in the defence 

 againft robbers need not be ftated. It can indeed be ftated, 

 that the opponent may alfo provide himfelf with the like ad- 

 vantage ; and then we have only to urge the argument, that 

 the duration of wars have been diminithed, and its humanity 

 diminifhed by rendering the means of annoyance more perfect. 



I have difcharged this courfe of balls feveral times, and I 

 find that the whole nine balls can be fired in 30 feconds. 



XII. 



On the Dijfemination of Plants. By Cit. L. Reynier 



T 



HE hifiory of vegetables affords fome facts to which I Diffemination of 

 think it my duty to call the attention of naturalifis : they relate P lants > 

 to the diffemination of plants, and to the means by which this 

 is effected. I have already collected feveral obfervations on 

 this fubjeft in the dictionary of Agriculture of L' Encyclopedic 

 MSthodique, article Diffemination. 



There are two natural means of reproduction : one of thefe by the fpreading 

 is by the roots, which, fpreading outwards, form new items ^00ts, 



round the mother plant; this reproduction is flow, andean 

 only take place gradually and without intervals ; the other is or tranfportation 

 by the feeds, which being carried by the winds, or by the ° * 



hooks with which they are provided, or by animals which 

 fwallow them, and afterwards depofit them, unchanged, in 

 their excrements, are removed to greater diftances, though 

 ftill within a limited circle. It is not therefore wonderful, to 

 fee a plant fpring up in a fpot, where the fame fpecies is 

 known to exift at no great diflance ; its introduction is in the 

 clafs of poffibilities. 



* Decade Philofophique, No. 13. An. Xf. 



But 



