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BOTANY, GARDENING* AGRICULTURE. 

 A LETTER from Mr. Anderfon, Dire&or of the Botanic 

 Garden of St. Vincent's, dated the 24th of December laft, 

 has been received by the Society of Arts, Manufactures, and 

 Commerce, which brings very pleafing accounts refpe&ing 

 the thriving ftate of the bread-fruit-tree. In 1793, fifty 

 young plants were carried from Otaheite by Captain Bligh. 

 They were then from 6 inches to 2 feet high. They are 

 now 30 feet and upwards, and the circumference of the flems. 

 from 3 to 3 \ feet. 



It was feared, when they were firft carried over, that they 

 would not have ftrength to (land againft the violent hurri- 

 canes of the Weft Indies ; but the wood is found, on the 

 contrary, to be extremely tough, and well qualified to reiift 

 the fevereft gufts of wind. 



The bread-fruit weighs from 4 to iolbs. each, and is in 

 its greateft perfection about a week before it is quite ripe. 

 When ba^d, which is the bed method of cooking it, it is 

 equal, if not fuperior, to bread. From its firft appearance, 

 it is three months before it is fit for eating. 



The trees are propagated by fuckers, which arife in abun- 

 dance. 



The Society alfo received fome bifcuit made from the 

 fruit, which they agreed was an excellent fuccedancum for 

 bread. 



Some curious experiments, which promife important bene- 

 fits to mankind, have lately been made by Sir Francis Ford,. 

 to determine whether oxygene, or vital air, has any ejects 

 upon vegetation different from common atmofpheric air. 

 He found by repeated trials, that flowers, and other plants, 

 fprinkled with water that had been previoufly impregnated 

 with oxygene gas, grew much more vigoroufly, and even dii- 

 played more beautiful tints than fimilar plants on the fame 

 ground treated with common water. The water was im- 

 pregnated by a very fimple procefs — Bottles filled with water 



