326 Mr Graham an the Absorption of' Vapours by Liquids. 



although covered in the winter, large fig ti-ees and pomegra- 

 nate trees, besides pears and apples of excellent quality, which 

 very ill agrees with the Lapponic climate. At present the 

 myrtle does not thrive there, nor the bay-fig ; and olive trees 

 succeed only in those valleys of the Krimea which open to 

 the south. According to Theophrastus bay and myrtle grew 

 also on the south end of the Euxine Sea. The author proves, 

 lastly, that the descriptions of Virgil and Ovid by no means 

 serve to confirm the idea of such a cold climate, seeing that 

 their descriptions are filled with contradictions. 

 (To be Contimied.) 



Akt. XVI. — Experiments on the Absorption of Vapours by 

 Liquids,''^ By Thomas Gkaham, A. M. Communicated 

 by the Author. 



From theoretical considerations I was led to institute the fol- 

 lowing experiment : — Into a deep cylindrical jar as much wa- 

 ter was poured as covered the bottom of it to the depth of half 

 an inch. Within the jar, and an inch above the surface of 

 the water, a porcelain basin, three inches in diameter, was sup- 

 ported, containing 500 grains of a saturated solution of chlo- 

 ride of sodium of the temperature 57°, which was observed to 

 be also the temperature of the water below and of the air 

 without. The mouth of the jar was finally covered over by a 

 glass plate, and made nearly air-tight by means of lard. It 

 was intended by this arrangement to preserve the solution of 

 chloride of sodium in an atmosphere, saturated or nearly so 

 with aqueous vapour, to be supplied by the water at the bot- 

 tom of the jar. For comparison another arrangement of a si- 

 milar nature was made at the same time, with the only differ- 

 ence, that the porcelain basin contained 500 grains pure water 

 instead of a saline solution. The two jars were set aside in a 

 quiet place, not subject to great variations in temperature, 

 and a specimen of the dry chloride of sodium made use of, 

 was exposed freely to the air in their neighbourhood. At the 

 expiration of six days the whole were examined : the salt ex- 



• Read before the Royal Society of Edinburgh, March 3, 1828. 



