178 



CHAPTER OF VARIETIES. 



from the card, (a) or from a small transverse bar of wood or metal beneath 

 it, so that the acorn (6) may be sustained at a short distance above the 

 surface of the water, but near enough for the steam, which will be 

 generated by the glass being kept in a warm room, to be communicated 

 to the acorn, from which it will depend in a large drop. 



In a few days the germ will be found to burst the shell of the acorn, 

 and in about a fortnight afterwards the radicle, or little root, will pro- 

 trude itself through the cleft, and take a downward direction into the 

 water, where it will be continually extended and enlarged, by degrees 

 throwing out external fibres, until, after a few days more, the other 

 member of the germ will be seen to rise upwards till it comes near the 

 card that covers the vessel, through which a hole must be cut to allow 

 of its free passage. This forms the stem of the tree, which will shortly 

 be seen to throw out two leafits at its extremity, and shortly again 

 others; till in the course of a few weeks from the commencement 

 of the experiment, the tree will have grown to the height of several 

 inches, and be ornamented at its top with leaves of two or three inches 

 long, and wide in proportion, besides smaller ones breaking out at its 

 sides, the root meanwhile having continued growing to a length exceed- 

 ing that of the stem. In six instances of this experiment commenced 

 in November last, the hyacinth glasses having been kept during the 

 cold weather for the most part on the mantel-piece of an inhabited 

 parlour, of the usual temperature of such apartments, the stems have 

 grown to different heights, being respectively about five inches, which 



