No. 12. 



On Soaking Seeds in Chemical Solutions. 



379 



unprepared, and I expect to be able to form 

 a comparative estimate of their growth by 

 visiting the place in October. 



" At all events, from the experiments 

 which I have already tried, I am quite satis- 

 fied that, even without the application of 

 common manures, double crops, at least, 

 may thus be raised ; and under the applica- 

 tion of the ordinary manures, crops ten-Jold 

 greater than usual. 



•' The various salts were prepared by me 

 from their carbonates. — I am," &c. 



The results observed on inspecting the 

 progress of the expernnents with prepared 

 and unprepared seeds, the intention of in- 

 specting which in October, was intimated in 

 the above letter, are thus described in a sub- 

 sequent letter to the Secretary, dated Semi- 

 naries, Dundee, 16th of November, 1843 : — 

 " I should before this time have given you, 

 as I believe I sometime ago purposed to do, 

 an account of the state in which I found the 

 vegetation of prepared seeds which I men- 

 tioned I had sown about the middle of last 

 August. 



" I visited the place on the 12th of Octo- 

 ber, and found, to my great satisfaction, that 

 the plants from prepared seeds excelled, in 

 a very marked degree, those from seeds 

 sown along-side of tliem, but unprepared. 

 The former had from jive to eight ■ stems, 

 while the latter had not more than tico or 

 three from each seed, and this in an exposed 

 situation, and among earth which was taken 

 from a considerable depth undei the surface, 

 — about eight feet — a kind of reddish till, 

 rather adhesive, and not in the least pulver- 

 ized by the influence of the atmosphere; and 

 situate in Kinross-shire, about 400 feet above 

 the sea. 



" The season of the year was, of course, 

 not the most favourable, but the contrast 

 was striking. — I am," &c. 



Mr. Campbell's sanction, obtained by ap- 

 plication of the Secretary, to give publicity 

 to his process, is given, in the following let- 

 ter, dated Dundee, 11th December, 1843: — 

 " I am favoured with your letter of the 9th 

 instant, and am much gratified with the 

 very flattering reception which my commu- 

 nications have met with from the Directors 

 of the Highland and Agricultural Society. 



" I have no objection to the publication in 

 the Transactions of the whole or any part 

 of these communications, but shall, on the 

 contrary, feel much pleased with it. I only 

 regret that there is not now time for com- 

 municating some further particulars, but 

 this may be done afterwards with perhaps 

 greater propriety. 



" If the Publication Committee think pro- 

 per, they may mention the price at which 

 the liquids are to be sold. — I am," &c. 



In compliance with the reasonable request 

 contained in the concluding paragraph of 

 this letter, the following extract is taken 

 from the latter part of a circular addressed 

 by Mr. Campbell to agriculturists, in which 

 he offers to supply them with his solutions, 

 which he names his Corn-growing Liqvids, 

 at certain prices. The* circular, after no- 

 ticing the importance of such a process as 

 the preparation of seeds, goes on to observe 

 that — " The discoverer of this most import- 

 aht and invaluable process, confident, from 

 the results of numerous experiments, of its 

 complete success, now begs to intimate that 

 he is prepared to supply agriculturists with 

 his Corn-growing Liquids at the following 

 prices, viz : 



" For Wheat, 2s. 6rf. per gallon. 



Barley, 2.?. Od. do. 



Grasses and Oats, \s. Cd. do. 



" These liquids will keep any length of 

 time; and the seeds, when dry, will also 

 keep without injury. The liquids are war- 

 ranted not to injure in any degree the vital- 

 ity of the seed, but, on the contrary, will 

 promote its growth in an extraordinary de- 

 gree. 



" One third, or even one half, less grain 

 is required for seed than is commonly used, 

 and twelve gallons will impregnate eight 

 bushels of grain ; for the operation may be 

 repeated in the residual liquid with addi- 

 tional measures of grain, as not more than 

 one tenth is absorbed in each operation. 



" Particular printed instructions for using 

 the liquids will accompany invoices. No 

 order under twenty gallons will be supplied. 

 " Dudbope street, Dundee." 



Opinion of Dr. Watts. — Among the 

 accomplishments of youth, there is none 

 preferable to a decent and agreeable beha- 

 viour among men, a modest freedom of 

 speech, a soft and elegant manner of ad- 

 dress, a graceful and lively deportment, a 

 cheerful gravity and good humor, with a 

 mind appearing ever serene under the ruf- 

 fling accidents of human life. Add to this, 

 a pleasing solemnity of reverence when the 

 discourse turns upon any thing sacred and 

 divine ; a becoming neglect of injuries, a 

 hatred of calumny and slander, a habit of 

 speaking well of others, a pleasing benevo- 

 lence and a readiness to do good to mankind, 

 a special compassion to the miserable, with 

 an air and countenance in a natural and un- 

 affected manner, expressive of all these ex- 

 cellent qualifications. 



