on the Vegetation of Seeds. 315 
feveral parcels of peas and barley, previoufly fteeped, 
into {mall jars, and then covering them to different 
depths with water, both clean and foul. The feeds, 
thus treated, fhéwed no figns of vegetation, after 
fpecimens of the fame kind, ftanding near them, in 
open bottles, had made a confiderable progrefs. At 
the time, I attributed this inability to vegetate, to 
the air being excluded by the incumbent fluids; 
which fuppofition appeared more reafonable than 
the contrary opinion, namely, that fome elaftic 
matter was prevented from quitting the feeds, by 
columns of water not exceeding one inch in length, 
which can only prefs with a very flight force.* 
Experiment IV, [I put three drams of dry peas 
into a bell-glafs filled with water; and inverted it in 
a {mall veffel of the fame fluid. At the end of 
forty-eight hours the jar remained full, but a quan- 
tity of water, taken from the bafon in which it 
ftood, rendered lime water turbid ; a proof that it 
contained Carbonic Acid. ‘The fame experiment 
was repeated with four drams of barley, and the 
refult was nearly the fame; only the prefence of 
the Carbonic Acid was not fo ftrongly indicated by 
the teft of lime water, 
_ Experiment V. ‘Two ounces of water, in which 
Raley had been foaked forty-eight hours, were put 
Rra into 
* Since this experiment was made, I find it not to be 
mew. Malpighi did the fame thing with the fame refult, 
Vide Opera ejus, Tom, I, p. 108, 
