1861. J VITALITY OF SEEDS. 73 



ances of the earth's surface, where their seeds probably have 

 been reposing a long time : — Acinos vulgaris, jEthusa Cynapium, 

 Anthemis Cotula,Anagallis arvensis, Ballota nigra, Capsella Bursa- 

 pastoris, Cardamine impatiens, Cynoglossum officinale, Digitalis 

 purpurea, Dipsacus pilosus, D. sylvestris, Fumaria capreolata, 

 F. officinalis, Galeopsis Teirahit, Hyoscyamus niger, Lapsana com- 

 munis, Myosotis arvensis, Nepeta Cataria, Polygonum Persicaria, 

 P. Convolvulus, Papaver Rhoeas, Potentilla argentea, Radiola 

 Millegrana, Reseda Luteola, Sagina procumbens, Sinapis arvensis, 

 S. nigra, Solanum nigrum, S. Dulcamara, Spergula arvensis, Ur- 

 tica urens, Viola tricolor, Verbascum Thapsus. The seeds of these 

 plants are most liable to repose without vegetating for indefinite 

 lengths of time. How long the seeds of these plants would re- 

 main reposing in Nature's lap is an abstruse problem not easily 

 solved, even by the most acute physiologist. Nature is very chary 

 of her secrets ; she must be tortured ere she will divulge them ; 

 she likes to tease man and excite his inquisitiveness. 



The plants whose seeds possess this property are mostly an- 

 nuals, some biennials, and a few perennials, and more particularly 

 the narcotic tribes, and those seeds that are round and small, 

 whilst those properties of the seeds of those humble weeds, many 

 of them not destined to exist above a few weeks, and at most a few 

 months, should produce seeds that will remain in a state of non- 

 entity in the earth for very many years ; but in the higher orders, 

 as we ascend in the vegetable kingdom, this vital property dimi- 

 nishes, and at last ceases altogether, for the seeds of many of them 

 cannot by any means be preserved — some not more than one year. 

 Those instances, as in all others emanating from a Divine source, 

 shows the care bestowed for the well-being of all organized beings, 

 whether animal or vegetable, even the meanest; for with the 

 Creator of all there is nothing mean. 



Geology, that sublime science which has done so much to ele- 

 vate the intellectual faculties of mankind, has rendered some ser- 

 vice to botany, its lovely and inseparable partner : whenever a 

 breach is made in her domain, she willingly repairs it. Railway 

 cuttings and excavations have revealed to mankind many valu- 

 able discoveries, and brought to light many botanical gems which 

 otherwise would never have appeared ; as I witnessed two years 

 ago, where a railway-line was traced out through a dry barren 

 pasture-field which had been cultivated at some remote period. 



N. S. VOL. V. L 



