150 PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS. [aNNO 1607. 



cured as could be had, and a good number of needles exactly made, of the 

 same metal, largeness, and figure ? 



Proposals to try the Effects of the Pneumatick Engine [Air-pump'] 



exhausted, on Plants, Seeds, and Eggs of Silhworms. By Dr. 



Be ALE. N" 23, p. 424.. 



Dr. Beale formerly suggested as follows : — 



It would be very well worth the trial, to see what effects would be produced 

 on plants put into the pneumatic engine of Mr. Boyle, with the earth about 

 their roots and flourishing ; whether they would not suddenly wither if the air 

 were totally taken from them. And particularly to try in the season cherry- 

 blossoms when partly opened, partly not opened upon a branch ; to wit, whe- 

 ther the air may be so attenuat'cd as to blast them. 



Mr. Boyle suggests, that it may be tried, 



1 . Whether seeds (especially such as are of a hasty growth, viz. orpin, let- 

 tice, garden cress seeds, &c.) will germinate and thrive in the exhausted re- 

 ceiver of the said engine ? 



2. Whether the exclusion of air from the sensitive plant would be hurtful 

 to it? 



3. Wliether the grafting of pears upon spina cervina will produce the effect 

 of communicating to the fruit its purging quality or not ? 



4. Whether silkworms' eggs will be hatched in such an exhausted receiver, 

 in the season proper for hatching ? 



The experiment heretofore made of this kind, was, that some lettice-seed 

 being sown upon some earth in the open air, and some of the same seed at the 

 same time upon other earth in a glass receiver of the above-mentioned engine, 

 afterwards exhausted of air ; the seed exposed to the air was grown up an inch 

 and a half high within eight days ; but that in the exhausted receiver not at 

 all. And air being again admitted into the said emptied receiver, to see whe- 

 ther any of the seed would then come up ; it was found that in the space of one 

 week it was grown up to the height of two or three inches. 



Observations on Ants. By Dr. Edmund King. iV^S, p. 425. 



1 . There have occurred to my observation but three sorts of ants, commonly 

 without wings ; viz. very black, dark brown, and the third sort of nearly the 

 colour usually called feuillemort. 



2. Each kind have distinct habitations in their several banks, two sorts sel- 

 dom or never being found together ; and if either of the other two sorts be 

 put into the black ants' bank, it is worth observing what enmity there is 



