ON THE GROWTH AND VITALITY OF SEEDS. 105 
velocity begins from zero, accelerating as the piston descends, until at about 
four feet of the stroke it attains a maximum of about 10-4 feet per second. 
This is the point where the pressure of the steam in the cylinder has, by ex- 
panding, become exactly equal to the resistance opposed to the motion of the 
piston ; and from this point the velocity gradually decreases as the steam be- 
comes more attenuated, until the piston is gradually brought to rest by the 
exhaustion or expenditure of the whole of the work accumulated in the mo- 
ving mass (in the shape of vis viva) during the early part of the stroke, while 
the steam power exceeded the resistance. 
The velocity of the owt-door, or pumping stroke, is much less than that of 
the former, the greatest velocity being only about 3°8 ft. per sec. 
Your Committee are still engaged in the necessary investigations connected 
with these experiments, and hope to be able to furnish a more complete report 
in time for publication in the Transactions of the Association*. 
It is desirable to take this opportunity of acknowledging that the thanks of 
the Committee are particularly due to Mr. Wicksteed and his sub-engineer, 
Mr. Price, for the accommodation rendered at Old Ford ; to Mr. Cowper, of 
King’s College, for his kind and able assistance in the experiments ; to Mr. 
Holtzapffel and Mr. Timme for the attention paid to the repairs and adjust- 
ments of the machine; and to Mr. Penn, of Greenwich, for the loan of an 
excellent indicator. H. Moseey. 
London, 14th August, 1843. Wix1AM Pore (Reporter). 
Report of a Committee, consisting of Mr. H. E. Stricxuanp, Prof. 
DavuBeny, Prof. Henstow and Prof. LINDLEY, appointed to con- 
tinue their Experiments on the Vitality of Seeds. 
Tue Committee have to report, that a considerable addition has been this year 
made to the collection of seeds deposited at the Botanic Garden, Oxford. As, 
however, it is very desirable that the seeds of a great variety of plants should 
be collected, so that at least one representative of every natural family may be 
obtained, they beg to solicit further contributions of seeds (addressed to Dr. 
Daubeny, Botanic Garden, Oxford), from any persons who may be interested 
-in the inquiry. The seeds should of course be of good quality, and the dates 
when gathered should be noted, in the mode explained in our last year’s report. 
The Committee have expended 1/. 14s. in printing circulars, 2/. 10s. 3d. in 
the purchase of seeds, and 9/. 6s. 8d. in expenses connected with the conduct 
and registration of the experiments. They estimate that a grant of 15/. for 
the ensuing year would suffice for the pursuance of the inquiry. 
During the autumn of 1842,seeds of one species of eighty-five genera of plants 
were collected in addition to those noticed in the report submitted in 1842. 
These have been in every instance preserved according to the mode specified in 
the resolutions of the Committee appointed to investigate the same, and are de- 
posited in a room devoted exclusively to them in the Oxford Botanic Garden. 
Of the eighty-five additional kinds of seeds, 
34 were gathered in the Oxford Botanic Garden, 
21 from the Horticultural Society’s Garden at Chiswick, 
1 from H. E. Strickland, Esq., 
1 from Colonel P. Yorke, 
1 from Thomas Hankey, Esq., favoured by Prof. Lindley, 
85—27 purchased of Mr. Charlwood, Covent Garden, London. 
A portion of the preceding kinds of seeds were sown in May 1843, in the 
Oxford Botanic Garden, the garden of the Horticultural Society at Chiswick, 
and also in the Cambridge Botanic Garden. These seeds were all gathered 
in 1842, with the exception of Nos. 1 and 85. The result of the experiments 
made in each garden is shown in the following table. 
* This Report has been completed, but at too late a period for insertion in the present 
volume of the Transactions.—Ed. 
