SEEDS OF MOSSES. 39 



close of the eigliteentli century, were tlie first who made 

 the experiment of raising Mosses from their sporules ; but 

 we cannot do more at present than brieily record a few of 

 the leading facts brought out bv their interesting investi- 

 gations, and those of more recent muscologists. Hedwig's 

 first experiment was with the sporules of a very common 

 Moss — the Fvnaria hijgrometnca. He detached from the 

 capsule, and scattered in a flower-pot, on such soil as was 

 favourable to their growth, some of the sporules of this 

 Moss, which in a day or two assumed a darker hue, and on 

 the seventh day a green mass was found to cover the surface 

 of the pot. On taking a very small portion of this, cleansing 

 it in water, and subjecting it to a high power of the micro- 

 scope, it was found to consist of the germinating sporules, 

 presenting at one point minute white roots, and at the 

 other simple obtuse projections of light green, the origin 

 of the young plant. These in three days more had become 

 branched, the latter resembling the jointed filaments of a 

 Conferva, and attained considerable length, giving the 

 surface of the pot the covering of rich green velvet so well 

 known on damp walls and in other moist situations. In 

 some weeks the young leaves made their appearance, and 

 in due time perfect capsules were obtained, from which to 



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