Germination of Seeds. 75 



we had little reason to think it worth sowing. I, however, caused 

 the seed to be well damped a few days before sowin<r, and then 

 added some newly slacked lime; the influence of which was not 

 long in being manifest. The year before, when the two-years-old 

 seed had been damped, it swelled none, but acquired a mouldy 

 smell : on the contrary, this third year, after the quicklime had 

 been added, it swelled off plump and full, and had all the sweet 

 smell of fresh germinating seed. It was sown very thick; but 

 the plants started fresh and vigorous through the covering of soil, 

 of a dark green colour, and in such quantity as to produce a crop 

 much thicker than usual ; and the plants grew and throve as well 

 as in the first year of the seed. I tried the same experiment this 

 year ; but, from the unprecedented long-continued dry weather, 

 it had not a fair trial : although, however, four years old, the crop is 

 still about the same thickness as some fresh Scotch pine seed sown 

 on the same day beside it, and the plants equally strong. I tried 

 it on some magnolia seed, the seedlings of which have this year 

 grown with more than their accustomed vigour. As the whole 

 of the plants may be seen, for very little trouble, in our nursery 

 grounds [at Kilmarnock], and as the good effects, I think, have 

 been made apparent, I hope it will not be considered trespassing 

 too far on your time to give a detail of the method I would like 

 pursued. Let it be understood that the nature of the experiment 

 applies only to seeds in which the albumen has become hard and 

 dry, from long keeping, kiln-drying, exposure to a hot sun in 

 crossing the equator, &c. ; (and not to such as have been wasted 

 away, and the albumen destroyed or damaged by moisture, heat- 

 ing in a green state, &c. ;) or when it is wanted to hasten the 

 ordinary process of vegetation in seeds that are tardy. Let the 

 seeds to be experimented on be spread on a floor, or in a box or 

 saucer, according to quantity, and thoroughly damped (more or 

 less according to the nature of the seed, as to its naturally dry or 

 oily condition) ; let the whole be well mixed together, so as that 

 every seed may receive its proportion of moisture; then add 

 newly slacked lime, in the proportion of from one eighth to one 

 tenth of the bulk; and mix the seed again well, so that each may 

 receive its proportion of lime; lay it up in a heap, and, when it 

 begins to get dry, have it turned and mixed, and again damped ; 

 and continue this process for a longer or shorter time, accoiding 

 to the known habits of the seed as to speediness in vegetation, 

 observing not to let it lie long in a dry state, in which the lime 

 is rather prejudicial; and I feel confident, if these instructions 

 are attended to, the result will be beneficial. Before quitting the 

 subject, I would like to call attention to the immense use of al- 

 kalies in the vegetable economy. We have seen their use in 

 furthering the germination of seeds ; and lately has been nar- 

 rated in our newspapers the good effects of quicklime sprinkled 



