XXVI. Letler from L. W- Dillwvn, Efq. to W. H, 

 Pepys jun. E/q. rcfpcding the EffeBs of the Oxymuriatic 

 Acid on the Growth of P Lints'^, 



My dear Friend, Higham Lodge, Sept. 7, iSoi. 



J. H E few experiments I made on the effects of the oxy- 

 genated muriatic acid on the growth of plants, I conceive lo 

 be too infignificant to merit much attention : however, at thy 

 defire, I here relate them, and give thcc the few thoughts 

 that have occurred refpe^ling them. 



From what M. Humboldt aflerts rcfpe£ling ralfing feeds 

 fo very rapidly by means of the oxymuriatic acid, the quef- 

 tion occurred to me, whether it might not be fuccefsfully 

 ufed for raifmg early crops of mudard and creis, radiflies, 

 &c, and therctbre early in March I fowed two patches of 

 each (as well as of fome other plants) in a flieltered lituation 

 in the open air, and kept one of each conftantly moill in 

 the common wav, and the other with a mixture of one large 

 tea-fpoont'ul of oxymuriatic acid to a pint of water; and in 

 no in fiance did there appear lo be any difference with refpedl 

 to the time of germination. 



I then tried the fame experiment on two pots of balfams 

 in a hot-bed, and alio on ibmc coxcombs. Thofe baliams 

 nioiftened with the diluted oxymuriatic acid all came up in 

 90 hours, whilll: none of the others appeared till near 30 

 hours after; and the combs came up about in the fame pro- 

 portion, I fliall next give the particulars of an experiment 

 I made in warmer weather in the open air. On the 2d of 

 May I fet four diflerent lots of garden beaiis^ with three in 

 each lot, in the following manner : 



Lot I. I foaked in 24 drops of oxymuriatic acid, diluted 

 with two large tea-fpoonfuls of water, for feven hours, and^ 

 immediately before I took them out, added fix drops of acid 

 more. 



Lot 2. I foaked in twelve drops of acid and two fpoonfuls 

 of water for the fame time, and, immediately before 1 took 

 them out, added three drops more. 

 Lot 3, I foaked for the fame time in plain water. 

 Lot 4. were not foaked at all. 



Thefe were then all planted at the fame depth in a flieltered 

 border, and lots i, 2, and 3, kept conltantly moift with oxy- 

 muriatic acid diluted with water in the proportion of one 

 larsie tea-fpoonful to a pint. 



On May 13, one of No. 2 came up, and on the morning 

 of the i4lh one each of Nos. 1 and 3, of which No. 1 was 



'= CoiniuUBJc-atcd by i,l\\ Pfcpys. 



forwarded y 



