436 On the Preservation of Seeds, the Use of Lime in 
periments made on plate brass, which gave me an expansion of 
“0000101 parts of its length for one degree of Fahrenheit. The 
mean of most of the experiments made on the expansion of brass 
gives ‘0000104, and had I employed this last number instead of 
my own, the difference in the length of the métre would have been 
utterly incousiderable. 
Supposing then both métres to be of equal authority, we have 
for the length of the métre @ traits 39°57076, and for that of the 
métre a bouts 39°37081 inches; the mean of which, 39°37079, 
may be taken for the length’ of the métre in inches of Sir G. 
Shuckburgh’s standard scale when each is brought to its proper 
temperature *. 
London, November 1817. 
© The length of the métre compared with Bird’s Parliamentary standard 
is 39-37062 inches. 
LXVI. On the Preservation of Seeds, the Use of Lime in Agri- 
culture, and former State of Cultivation in Scotland, By 
Mr. Gavin Iveuis. 
To Mr. Tilloch. 
Sir, — I Do not know what philosophical attention may have 
been bestowed on the self-preservation of seeds, or the appa- 
rent spontaneous evolution of indigenous plants. The subject 
is certainly interesting, and may well claim the attentive regard 
of those whose leisure and abilities may be fit for this branch of 
instructive knowledge. From the little experience and scanty 
opportunity of observation that have fallen to my lot, I can do 
nothing’ towards the elucidation of so important a research ; but 
from the memorandums of what has come within my practice, I 
shall select a few occurrences that struck me as deserving of no- 
tice, and which, although not conclusive in themselves, may still be 
of some use to others better qualified for the task. From what 
I have observed, I am very much inclined to think that seeds, 
particularly those of the oily kinds, when mixed with cold earth, 
and lying at a depth in dry soil beyond the congenial influence 
of the sun’s vivific rays, will never lose their vital atom, or ve- 
getative principle, but will remain for ever dormant, unless b 
design or accident the substratum be raised, and the seed-bed 
brought within the reach of the sun’s influence. These seeds 
must owe their incorruptibility to some self-preserving principle, 
and their dormancy to the debarred approach of the solar 
streams of light. Without admitting some such ratiocination, 
how is it possible to reconcile or account for the spontaneous 
production of the great variety of plants and flowers, apparently 
new 
