Effect of Boiling Water on Seeds. 103 



the common process of sowing, in desperation, we put it to 

 the* severe test of the water trial, and, to our gratification as 

 well as surprise, several fine plants made their appearance 

 above ground in a few weeks. The Sides are malvaceous 

 plants, possessing soft seeds, that is to say, seeds with no in- 

 durated exterior, and which, one would naturally suppose, 

 could not resist much of an elevation of temperature, especial- 

 ly in boiling water, which, permeating their tissue, might 

 be thought capable of destroying their organization. But 

 notwithstanding appearances seemed so much against them, 

 yet something like a dozen plants came up and grew luxuri- 

 antly, of which we saved a couple by potting which have 

 given us a few flowers, pretty as are any of that genus, but 

 of little more ornament than that most common species now 

 rejected from our gardens, viz., ^Sida abuiilofi, original from 

 India, but now almost naturalized as a weed in gardens and 

 on rubbish heaps. The entire genus, indeed, may be set 

 down, in the words of Loudon, as " free flowerers of no great 

 beauty ;" of which we have certainly a rare exception in >S'ida 

 striatum {Abutilon striatum) of the Catalogues. What *S'ida 

 polyandra will prove in open culture, we can scarcely form 

 any opinion from our present knowledge ; if no better than 

 the old and rejected S. abutilon, thus much will it have 

 proved, that, in its case at least, it will add its weight of tes- 

 timony to the value and importance of a more experimental 

 and scientific process of seed sowing, based on philosophical 

 principles ; and that the record of the most seemingly trivial 

 facts in horticultural experience, may lead to results which 

 will bear on the greater interests of the general subject. And 

 so, Mr. Editor, should you deem this rambling and discursive 

 essay of any value in the record of facts relating to a pursuit 

 in which, with yourself, you are aware, we are interested, 

 you are at liberty to insert it in some corner of your Maga- 

 zine, that, perhaps, it may remind others of similar experi- 

 ments, from which they may receive even greater reward in 

 more successful results. 

 January 27, 1847. 



We are most happy to present an article so full of interest 

 to every lover of rare plants : and we hope the minuteness 



