100 Effect of Boiling Water on Seeds. 



prevented from giving form and substance, by the multiplic- 

 ity of important affairs in which he was engaged during his 

 whole life-time, has never been realized — no, not even ap- 

 proached, in any work yet given to the public. True : many 

 things in the design would, were it executed, be found more 

 curious than useful, and some even based upon error — such 

 and so great have been the advances made by science since 

 his day — but, are there not many admirable hints contained 

 in the mere statement of his plan, which modern horticultu- 

 rists would do well to avail themselves of and improve. 

 January 7, 1847, 



Art. II. Instance of Effect of Boiling Water on Seeds. 



ByX. 



It is a well known fact to many, that certain seeds are pe- 

 culiarly difficult to be made to vegetate by the usual process 

 of sowing. Perhaps much disappointment has been often ex- 

 perienced, from the failure of germination of the seeds of choice 

 and curious plants. Many modes have been suggested or de- 

 vised to facilitate their germination; some founded on the 

 natural character of the original species ; such, for instance, 

 as sowing the seeds of the Primulacese, (those which are na- 

 tive of Alpine situations, as the Auricula, Androsace, Solda- 

 nella, &c.,) on snow, and exposing them to the open air when- 

 ever an opportunity occurred of their receiving a snowy 

 shower ; or exposing them to great natural or artificial heat, 

 in places strongly irradiated by the sun's rays ; in hotbeds, 

 on flues of conservatories and the like ; or subjecting them to 

 scalding heat, by pouring boiling water over them, as in the 

 case of Ipomse^a Quamoclit ; or, again, to the stranger process 

 of absolute boiling for the space of ten or fifteen minutes : also 

 of soaking in alkalies : immersing in acids, (e, g., oxalic acid,) 

 or watering with a weak solution of acid, until the seed vege- 

 tates, or with a solution of chlorine, which has the same effect. 

 Doubtless, in some of the instances, a chemical action is sus- 

 tained between the amylaceous particles of the seed and the 

 acid agent, or some gaseous principle is evolved which had 



