206 



Doubtless many people have purchased modern Egyptian for genuine mummy 

 wheat, and there can be no question that the Egyptian trader, if he were encouraged 

 by European credulity, would find an inexhaustible store of it in Pharaoh's granary, 

 but the truth is that, with all our folly, we do not give scope to fraud in that 

 direction. We will go any length you like in the matter of antiquities, as those 

 travelled sages can prove who have purchased at Memphis ''petites idoles," &c.. 

 the spoils of the P>T:amids, which had been manufactured at Birmingham for 

 the gratification of those who ascend the Nile in pursuit of knowledge under 

 difficulties. Believing that the vital principle of seeds may be preserved in- 

 definitely, if protected from external influences, I see no reason to doubt the 

 vitality of mummy wheat 3,000 years old, and that such grains have germinated 

 and proved prolific within the last 10 years are well authenticated facts. It is, 

 I presume, upon such facts that the theory as propounded by Mr. Flavell Edmunds 

 is based, accounting for the appearance of plants in a newly-excavated soil in the 

 neighbourhood of Hereford at a considerable distance from any other known 

 habitat ; and I take this occasion to say that the ungracious reception which 

 was given to such theory by those who ought to have known better has led to the 

 remarks herein made. It was Mr. E. who wisely applied the descriptive designa- 

 tion of ventose to the theory originated by his opponent, a theory characterised 

 by ventosity, and certainly scarcely more tenable than the exploded one of 

 spontaneous generation. Yes, ventose is the word — " thin air ! " whose density 

 will be increased by the light of science until it be ultimately annihilated as the 

 baseless fabric of a dream. 



BOTANICUS. 



MEETING OF THE WOOLHOPE CLUB. 



" BURIED SEEDS." 



To the Editor of the " Hereford Times.''' 



Sir, — Being from home, I have only just seen the report of the late meeting 

 of the Woolhope Naturalists' Field Club in your paper, and as my name is 

 brought forward in connection with the subject of " buried seeds," I think I 

 may be permitted a word or two in explanation. Mr. Edmunds made a com- 

 munication to the Woolhope Club on the appearance of certain plants on the 

 railway embankments at Hereford, which he considered were the produce of 

 seeds long buried in the ground. At the Tarrington meeting, which was a joint 

 meeting of the Woolhope and Malvern Clubs, I alluded to the observations of 

 my friend, Mr. Edmunds, but considered his idea of long-buried seeds was 

 erroneous, and thought that upon newly turned-up soil the agency of the wind 

 (which every botanical observer must admit does abundantly scatter seeds 

 about) was sutficient to account for the appearance of the plants. I should not 

 have mentioned the subject had Mr. Edmunds not been present, and he made an 

 eloquent and forcible reply in defence of his theory. Now I think the matter 



