Chh'MlXATlOX 3:^7 



passed \)y the |)<)i was thrown a'>i(lc nn a iiihWish 

 hca|). Sliortlx' after 1 was passiiiL^^ by ami obscrxecl 

 a fir-C()t)'le(l()ii j^rowiuL;' on the lieap, and this 

 |)ro\c(l to be- the lonL;"-desired \'oun<j ce(lar-|)lant. 



Seeds ha\e the power to retain their \ italit)' for 

 \'ears, especial 1\' those of the Li\s;iiininosic, but I 

 beliex'e the stories of ICLij'ptian mumm\' wheat 

 i;erminatinL;" are scarce!)' to be belie\ed. A L,fOod 

 object-lesson u|)on tliis subject is furnished by a 

 newl\'-made railw a\' cuttini^- ; here we may alwax's 

 find ;j;"rowinL; upon the freshl\'-turne(l soil quite a 

 crop of plants which ha\e sprunL,^ from seeds that 

 in the course of )'ears ha\e become embedded in 

 the earth, it ma)- be at s(^ threat a depth as to 

 l>reclude the admission c^f air or pre\cnt one of 

 the necessary conditions of Ljermination. When, 

 however, the underla)-er of soil is broui^ht to the 

 surface and exi^osed to liijjht, air, and moisture, the 

 seeds are able to grow. 



To this we owe the richness of our railway-bank 

 flora, and man)- a rare plant ma)- be discovered 

 there which cannot be found elsewhere in the 

 neighbourhood. We will wow in imagination 

 conduct a few simple experiments that we may 



17 



