On the Vhysiology of Vcgelalles, 127 



something exceedingly small between the two sides in the con- 

 texture of the husks, the edges of which I observed to be trans- 

 parent. I opened them lengthwise, so as to possess myself of a 

 very thin piece which set at liberty my object, which on exami- 

 nation proved to be a shoot with a little root to it, seen at fig. 1, 

 (Plate II.) l-'late No. 5. After viewing many parts of the husk, as 

 it realhj was, it appeared to include many perfect plants. This 

 was a sight I so little expected, that I distrusted my own eyes, 

 and examined every way I could contrive, to prevent being de- 

 ceived ; but in all lights and in all positions it presented the 

 same figure. I afterwards cut open a great many different seeds, 

 and found in all the same number of germs. I endeavoured to 

 separate a few of these minute plants from the tkeca*, and suc- 

 ceeded, (see fig. 2.) I thought this account so novel and cu- 

 rious, it might be acceptable to the Philosophical Society, to 

 which I now send it with the drawings, and a drawing (fig. 3) 

 of the part of the seed surrounding the embryo, and the shoots 

 which appear in it. — Henry Baker." 



It will be thought perhaps extraordinary that I should be so 

 delighted to find this part of my discovery J^or^;5^a//ec?. But first, 

 I am truly charmed to get any additional proof of the truth of 

 a part of my system : and I am really so anxious to establish 

 the foundation of botanical knowledge, and ascertain the first 

 principles of the science on a sure and solid ground, and facts 

 that the eyes as well as understanding will vouch for, instead of 

 being, as it is now, a parcel of detached imaginations, so contra- 

 dictory in themselves that not three botanists think alike upon 

 any one subject, and most of them are contradicted by Natiu-e 

 and dissection, — that I care very little who makes the discovery, 

 provided it is just and true, and will contribute to advance the 

 science : and it is adding a proof, to what I have already shown 

 respecting the various shoots in the seed, displayed in my last 

 letter, that makes it really a most precious piece to me. The next 

 thing therefore that occurred to me, was to try whether these 

 germs (found in the case of the seed) would increase if water 

 was put to them while on glass. This they did in a few days ; 

 V. hich jjroves also that I was right in the trial I made of them 

 a» stated in my last letter. 



In my last, I also showed that, wishing to prove that those 

 balls in the root were truly the heart of seeds, (as I have before 

 f hown by every other means possible,) while still in the radicle; 

 1 shook them out on glass, covered them with a drop of water, 

 but just enough to wet; when the seed (which was before so diini- 



• " Tlitca" an excellent name for ihe sort of powder that fills up the 

 spncei lieiweeu the differtiit sliiuols wiili iheir roi.is. I sliiill call it so in 

 future. 



nutlvc 



