STEEPING SEEDS. 117 



results, he could hardly, beforehand, have realized the impor 

 tance, had not been made with more scrupulous exactness. 

 They are, however, sufficiently interesting and decisive to in 

 duce other experiments, in which the results may be more 

 denned. Mr. Campbell s disinterested conduct in communicating 

 them to the public does him the highest honor. 



Mr. Campbell has since sent the following communication to 

 the Agricultural Society, as to the results of the unfinished 

 experiments noticed in his former letter : 



&quot; The salts were neutralized by adding the carbonates until 

 effervescence completely ceased ; and this was done that there 

 might be no excess of acid.&quot; Mr. Campbell adds, with respect 

 to his succeeding experiments, which he proposed to examine on 

 the 12th of October, that they were completely successful, show 

 ing a decided contrast in favor of the prepared seeds. In the 

 soil dug up from 6 or 8 feet under the surface, the prepared seed 

 showed plants with seven and eight stems, while the unprepared 

 had not more than three. 



The preparation of seeds by steeping is not a new process. 

 The preparation of wheat, by soaking in brine or in a preparation 

 of arsenic, has been recommended, and, so far as my own expe 

 rience and observation go, may be considered as a sure remedy 

 against smut. The steeping of Indian corn in a solution of 

 copperas and of saltpetre has likewise been supposed to stimu 

 late and promote its growth, though this is not so well established 

 as might be desired. But a scientific attempt, like that of Mr. 

 Campbell, to combine, upon chemical principles, the ingredients 

 or salts deemed essential to the growth of the plant, and to fur 

 nish them by soaking the seed in them, is a rare, though not 

 wholly an unknown attempt. Its partial success, in this case, 

 affords strong encouragement to further experiments. The steep 

 may be supposed to operate in two ways either as a stimulant, 

 to cause the seed to develop its powers of germination more 

 rapidly and fully than it otherwise would do, and thus gather 

 more of the nourishment which it needs from the soil or the 

 atmosphere ; or as supplying that proportion of saline or inor 

 ganic matter which the plant requires. This is indeed very 

 small, &quot; though absolutely essential to the perfect condition of the 

 seed, and to the healthy growth of the plant which springs from it.&quot; 

 This is said to be, in wheat and barley, from 1 to 2 per cent, of 



