94 



REPORT — 1844. 



Fourth Report of a Committee, consisting of H. E. Strickland, Esq.y 



Prof. Daubeny, Prof. Henslow and Prof. Lindley, appointed 



to continue their Experiments on the Vitality of Seeds. 

 These experiments Iiave this year been conducted in the same manner as in 

 former years, one portion of the seeds having been sown in the Botanic Gar- 

 den at Oxford, a second at the Horticultural Society's Garden, Chiswick, and 

 a third in Prof. Henslovv's garden at Hitcham, Suffolk, instead of the Botanic 

 Garden, Cambridge, as was at first proposed. 



The Committee have this year expended 11/. Os. lOd, in the purchase of 

 seeds, materials for their preservation, and incidental expenses. Seeds of 48 

 additional genera have been added to the Seminarium at the Botanic Garden, 

 Oxford. The Committee are indebted to Sir W.J. Hooker for a very inter- 

 esting collection, consisting of 303 packets of seeds, gathei-ed at various dates 

 from 1800 to 184'3. These have all been sown at Oxford, the quantity of 

 each having been in most cases too small to admit of distribution. The de- 

 structive effects of time upon the vitality of seeds is well exemplified by this 

 collection, and the following is the general result : — 



Of 92 kinds gathered from 1800 to 1806, only 2 percent, have vegetated. 



...182 1816 ... 1823, ... 21 



... 42 in 1840 31 



The Committee beg to renew their request for similar contributions of an- 

 cient seeds from all persons who may be interested in the inquiry. 



The seeds that were gathered in 1841 and sown in 1842 have also been 

 resown this year. 



The following is a register of the results : — 



Nune and Date when gathered. 



No. 

 sown. 



9^: Hitcham, 

 ford. 



No. of Seeds of each 

 Species which vege- 

 tated at 



Chis- 

 wick. 



Time of vegetating 

 in days. 



Os- Hitcham. ^hif- 

 ford. wick. 



1793. 

 Hordeutn vulgare 



1841. 



Vicia sativa 



Daucus Carota 



Cannabis sativa 



Pastinaca sativa 



Brassica Rapa 



Linum usitatissimum .. 



Lepidium sativum 



Polygonum Fagopyrura. 



Phalaris canariensis 



Brassica Napus 



Caruin Carui 



Petroselinura sativum .. 



Trifolium ?repens 



Lactuca sativa 



Brassica oleracea 



Pisum sativum 



Faba vulgaris 



Phaseolus multiflorus . . 



Triticum restivura 



Hordeum vulgare 



Avena sativa 



iEthusa cynapoides 



AntiiThinum majus 



Calendula pluvialis 



100 



50 



100 



50 



100 



300 



150 



100 



50 



100 



150 



200 



50 



150 



50 



50 



50 



25 



25 



100 



100 



100 



100 



300 



200 



41 

 39 



9 

 76 

 39 

 37 



6 

 52 

 71 



18 

 14 

 I 

 3 

 15 

 22 

 17 

 33 

 15 

 57 



116 

 135 



13 

 35 



40 



34 

 53 



8 



63 

 33 

 33 

 33 

 35 

 36 

 26 

 33 

 13 

 18 



43 

 33 



42 



35 



At Oxford the 

 seeds were sown 

 on the 17th of 

 May, on a bed 

 prepared for 

 them in a cold 

 frame, with the 

 exception of 

 those usually 

 sown on a hot- 

 bed. These were 

 sown in pots 

 and placed in 

 gentle heat. 



At Chiswick 

 the seeds vpere 

 not sown till 

 late in the sea- 

 son. 



