1839] 



1'^ A R M E R S ^ R E G i S 1 E R 



491 



eleepcd in melted beeswax. It has been recom- 

 mended that seeds coliecied in a moist country, or 

 reason, be packed in charcoal. 



After beini^ put up according to Rn_v of" these 

 modes, the seeds should be enclosed in a box, 

 which should be covered with pilch, to prevent 

 injury from damp, insects, and mice. Dnrinir the 

 voyage, they should be Ucpt in a cool, airy, and 

 dry situation; not in the hold of a ship. 



The oily seeds soonest, lose their germinating 

 (acuity. They should be put into a box with 

 sandy earth, in the lollowing mariner: first, about 

 two inches of earth at the bottom; into tliis the 

 Feeds should be placed at distances proportionate 

 to their size; on th'^se another layer of earih about 

 an inch thiclc; and then another layer of seeds: 

 and so on, with alternate layers of earth and seeds 

 nniil the box is filled within about a foot of the top, 

 which space should be fiiled with sand; tai<ing 

 care lirat the earth and sand be well put in, that 

 the seeds may not get out of place. The box 

 should tlien be covered with a close net-work of 

 cord, well pitched, or with split hoops or laths well 

 pitched, so as to admit the air wiihout exposing 

 the contents of the box to be disturbed by mice or 

 accident. The seeds thus put up will germinate 

 during their passage, and will he in a state to be 

 planted immediately on their arrival. 



Although some seeds with a Iiard shell, such as 

 nuts, peaches, [ilums, &c., do not come up until a 

 long time afier they are sown, it would be proper, 

 when the kernel is oily, to follow the method just 

 pointed out, that they may not turn rancid on the 

 passage. This precauiion is also useful for the 

 family of laurels, (laurinea?) and that of myrtles, 

 (myrii,) especially when ihey have to cross equa- 

 torial seas. 



To guard against the casualties to which seeds 

 in a germinating state may be exposed during a 

 long voyage, and as another means of ensuring 

 the success of seeds of the kinds here recommend- 

 ed to be put into boxes widi earth, it would be 

 well, also, to enclose some of them (each seed se- 

 parately) in a coat of beeswax, and afterwards 

 pack them in a box covered with pitch. 



It may not be necessary, in every case, to ob- 

 serve all the precautions here recommended in 

 regard to the putting up and transmission of seeds; 

 but it is believed that there will be risk in de- 

 parting from them, in proportion to the distance 

 of the conntry fi'om which the seeds are to be 

 brought, and to the difference of its latitude, or of 

 the latitudes through which they will pass on the 

 voyage. It is not intended, however, by these 

 instructions, to exclude the adoption of any other 

 modes of putting up and transmitting seeds and 

 plants, which are in vse in any particular place, 

 and which have been found successful, especially if 

 more simple. And it is recommended, that not 

 only the aid of competent persons be accepted in 

 procuring and putting up seeds and plants, but 

 that they be invited to offer any suggestions in re- 

 gard to the treatment of the plants during the voy- 

 age, and their cultivation and use afterwards. 



Journal. Fill a common glass tumbler, or other 

 vessel, completely with some spiriious liquor, so 

 that a lew drops more would cause it to overflow. 

 TItis done, you will find no difficuliy in introdu- 

 cing into the tumbler, so filledj a whole handful of 

 raw cotton. 



This experiment was suggested by the acciden- 

 tal recovery of some wet cotton from a boat which 

 had been sometime sunk in tlie Tennessee river; it 

 ^ was found by the workmen that after they had 

 j squeezed out the water fi-om some coUon, the ves- 

 sel in whicli it had been contained, remained near- 

 ly as full as before the cotton was removed. 

 j Spirits answers better than water, for trying the 

 experiment, from the rapidiry with which they are 

 i absorbed by the cotton. Several theories were 

 I started by per-'ons who tried the experiment; such 

 as, that the filaments of cotton occupied the vacan- 

 cies between the globules of water; or that by its 

 capillary action, the cotton subdivided the globules, 

 ^ and caused them to occupy a less space, &c.; to 

 me. however, it appears to be accounted for more 

 satisfactorily, by supposing the fluid to insinuate 

 itself between the filaments of cotton, and thus 

 permit the latter to occupy no more space than is 

 due to their actual solidity. The experiment is 

 certaini}' a bealiful one. 



Very respectfully, yours, &c., 



John C. Trautwine. 

 Knoxville, 7'ennesse, June 12, 1839. 



EXPERIMENTS ON THE POROSITY OF A MASS 

 OF COTTON. 



From tlie Jouiiml of the Franklin Institute. 



Perhaps you may consider the following pretty 

 experiment on porosity, worthy of a place in yonr 



OIV THE INFLUENCE OF NATIVE MAGNESIA ON 

 THE GERMINATION, VEGETATION, AND 

 FRUCTIFICATION OF VEGETABLES. 



By ..Angela Jlbbene. 



Among the various causes which produce bar- 

 renness in lands, has been enumerated the presence 

 of magnesia, because it had been observed that the 

 various magnesian soils are steril. This opinion 

 has begun to lose credit, since Bergmann, who ex- 

 amined the composition of fertile soils, considered 

 magnesia as forming one of their principal consti- 

 tuents. 



Prof. Giobert has performed a number of expe- 

 riments to in(]uire into the action of native macrne- 

 sia, which is found in numerous cultivated soils. 

 In the environs of Casteliamonte and of Baldisse- 

 ro, this substance is abundan'ly diffused in the 

 soils culiiva'ed with great success, and which ex- 

 hibit a vigorous vegetation. There are many 

 districts in Piedmont and elsewhere, where the bi- 

 carbonate of lime and of magnesia is abundant in 

 the cultivated lands, which produce beautiful 

 plants. Giolicr; concluded from these experiments 

 — Isl, that nati\f> carbonate of magnesia is not in- 

 jurious to the various functions of vegetables ; 2nd, 

 that on account nf the solubility of magnesia in an 

 excess of carbonic acid, this earth can exercise an 

 action analogous to that of lime ; 3id. that a maf- 

 ncsian soil may becgme fertile when the necessary 

 manure is employed. 



From these facts naturally proceeds the conclu- 

 sion, that if the magncsi;i was dissolved in an ex- 

 cess of carbonic acid and water, and had entered 

 like the lime into the composition of the sap, it 

 ought to be found in the plants with the potash, 

 lime, oxide of iron, &c. Al. Abbene has iiscertained 



