145 



The Burgundy and Claret have less alcohol than was found by 

 Mr. Brande forty years ago in the wines he examined. The Sherry 

 is now stronger, the Port is not so strong, the Marsala is weaker, 

 the Rhine wine is the same strength, the Brandy is as strong 

 as formerly ; the Rum is nearly half as strong again ; the Porter is 

 stronger, and the Stout rather stronger than formerly. 



Lastly, the specific gravity of each liquid was taken. As this 

 however chiefly depends on the amount of alcohol and sugar present, 

 and as these were directly determined, the specific gravity may be 

 taken as a distant control on the amount of sugar present. 



Thus, in those wines in which the amount of alcohol was the 

 same, the specific gravity was found to vary with the amount of 

 sugar found by the saccharometer. 



The results of the analysis of each sample of wine, &c. is given 

 in a series of tables, which do not admit of any abstract. 



2. " On a New Method of propagating Plants." By E. J. Lowe, 

 Esq., F.R.A.S., F.G.S. &c. 



The author states that the experiment of a new method of propa- 

 gating plants has been so successful, that he has taken the liberty 

 of forwarding to the Royal Society this short paper upon the sub- 

 ject, for the guidance of those who are interested in the advance of 

 horticulture. 



It had occurred to him, that if a cutting of a plant were sealed 

 at the base, so as to exclude the moisture of the soil from ascending 

 the stem in injurious quantities, the method of striking cuttings of 

 most species of plants would not be so precarious a process as at 

 present ; and accordingly some collodion was obtained in order to 

 make the experiment. 



With respect to this new process, he states, that immediately 

 upon the cutting being severed from the parent stem, the collodion 

 was applied to the wound, and then left a few seconds to dry, after 

 which the cuttings were potted in the ordinary manner. 



To test the value of this new process more effectually, duplicates 

 of all the species experimented upon were at the same time similarly 

 planted, without the collodion being applied to them. 



Experiments were carried on in two different ways ; one batch of 

 cuttings being placed on a hot-bed, whilst a second batch was 

 planted in the open ground, without even the protection of glass. 



First Batch. — All of which were placed on a hot-bed on the Ist 

 of September, and examined on the Ist of October : — 



