5f TH^ CUCUMBEil- 81 



^*hich IS nearly the bofom heat, and that for hatching 

 of eggs. The heat of the air under the glafs frame of 

 this hot-bed was equal to 34 degrees, fo the roots had 

 2 6 degrees more heat than the plants above ground : 

 I'he heat of the open air was then 1 7 degrees *.'* 



According to Dri Hales the heat of the human 

 blood in high fevers is above 130 degrees of Fahren* 

 heit*s thermometer ; the bofom heat, or heat of the 

 fliin, is from 94 to 98 degtees ; the heat of a hen 

 hatching eggs is from 103 to 107 degrees* It appears 

 that 60 degrees of Fahrenheit's thermometer is equal 

 to about 34 of Dr. Hales's thermometer ; hence we 

 may infer, that the heat of Dr. Hales's cucumber bed 

 flood nearly as follows : The heat of the mould in 

 which the roots were growing 100 degrees, and the 

 heat of the air in the frames 60 degreeso Now as 

 the furface of the mould, which was heated to about 

 100 degrees, mud beexpofed to the heat of the air in 

 the frame^ which was 40 degrees lower, I think it is 

 but reafonable to fuppofe that the heat of the dulig 

 under th.e mould muft have been at leaft 1 20 degrees. 



I am inclined to think that Dr. Hales did not him- 

 fejf manage this^cucumber^bed ; for, if he had, I think 

 he would have favoured the public with an account 

 of how long it continued in that due healthy ftate, 

 and what methods he took to keep it ia that flate, 

 and of the fuccefs attending his labours with regard 

 to the produce of the plants. 



The dung for the linings of the bed of my inyen- 

 tion requires no more working than what is necef- 



* Hales's Statics, vol. i p. 60, 



F fary 



