on the Vegetation of Seeds. 323 
tinued fix days without fhewing the leaft fign of 
vegetation; but, on admitting common air into the 
glafs, its contents fprouted freely. This experiment 
proves decifively, that feeds faturated with moifture 
have no affinity to Azotic Gas. It alfo appears, 
that the firft ftage of vegetation is analogous to com- 
buftion and refpiration, all the three proceffes 
depending on oxydation by the atmofphere. _ I thall 
elofe this fubject with the following remarks : 
I. The only inference in this paper which feems 
to me doubtful, is, that feeds impregnated with 
water retain a part of the oxygene they abforb, To 
determine the matter with more certainty than I 
have done, the fixth experiment fhould be repeated 
over mercury. : 
II, It is probable, that fome Hydrogene efcapes 
from vegetating feeds, combined with’ Carbone ; 
becaufe the vefféls ufed in the foregoing experiments 
retained a peculiar fmell, even afier being wafhed 
in clean water, but the action of the air deftroyed 
it in afew hours, _ : 
HII. I have found, that fteeped grain confined, 
for four or five days, in fmall quantities of common 
air, will fometimes vegetate, and not in other 
cafes. This, perhaps, is owing to variations in 
_ the general temperature; for when the Ther- 
mometer ftands higher than 56°, it is probable, 
that the putrefactive fermentation commences fooner 
than when it is below that point. Laftly, the ufe, 
and even the neceffity of having the foil very well 
Sf pulverized, 
