212 Miscellaneous Intelligence. 



with seed of a less age, and of different species. Cucumber seeds 

 of seventeen years old afforded the same results. M. Voss adds, 

 that some seeds of the alcea rosea of twenty-three years old afforded 

 very well conditioned plants. 



•• We admit, as incontestable, the above-mentioned observations. 

 It is known that the seeds of different families retain, for a greater 

 or less time, their germinative power ; to cite only one example 

 from among the leguminous plants — about twenty years since, we 

 believe, fruit was obtained in the Royal Garden from a species of 

 Phaseolus or Dolichos, taken from the herbarium of Tournefort." — 

 Verhandl. des Vereins zur Befcerd. des Gartenbaurs in den Preuss. 

 Staat. 



21. Influence of Chemical Solutions on Plants. — This subject 

 has been taken up experimentally by M. Wiegmann, whose object 

 was to ascertain the influence of chemical solutions when applied to 

 the roots of the plants, and taken in by absorption. His method 

 was to put the liquids into vessels, into which were also then im- 

 mersed the pots in which the plants were growing, the earth having 

 been previously allowed to dry freely. In this manner it was found 

 that the neutral solutions of acetate of mercury, acetate of lead, sul- 

 phate of copper, muriate of tin, muriate of manganese, nitrate of 

 cobalt, nitrate of bismuth, tartrate of antimony, muriate of baryta, 

 muriate of strontian, and solutions of white arsenic and dilute prussic 

 acid, destroyed plants previously full of vigour, either in the course 

 of a few days, or a week. On the contrary, solutions of the sul- 

 phates of iron and zinc, muriates of titanum, iron and lime, and 

 sulphates of alumina and magnesia, produced no prejudicial action. 



When sought for, all the substances used were found in the 

 plants, so that in opposition to what Mr. Murray had said, absorp- 

 tion had taken place by the roots. 



Solutions of opium, hemlock, henbane, digitalis, and vomica nut, 

 in the proportion of 20 grains of extract in 2 ounces of distilled 

 water, poured into pots containing young plants of the family Che- 

 nopodus, caused death in from four to eight days. 



Phillip's experiment of watering a plant with sulphate of copper, 

 and killing it, was repeated, also the absorption of copper and its 

 precipitation on a knife verified. Solution of 4 ounces of acetate 

 of lead applied to a young willow did not kill it, probably because 

 the carbonic acid disengaged by the roots precipitated the metal. 

 A similar experiment, with 2 ounces of white arsenic, only made the 

 tree to which it was applied grow more rapidly — M. Weigmann 

 thinks, because the arsenic was in too small a quantity, and acted 

 only as a stimulant. — Bull. Univ. B. xvii. 372. 



22. Professor Hanstein. — Terrestrial Magnetism. — Letters have 

 been received from Professor Hanstein and his companions, to the 

 19th of February. On the 12th of September they left Tobolsk, 



