VOL. II.J PHILOSOPHICAL TKANSACTIONS. 1^1 



The Ameiican Aloe, with indented Leaves. By Dr. Merret. 



N' 25, p. 455. 



August 4, 1656, this aloe weighed 21 ounces 6 drams 2 grains. Its colour 

 was of a pale green, consisting of 1 1 leaves ; it was bound about with a red dry 

 cloth, and was hung up without oil, as is usual, in the kitchen. 



In a year it lost 2 ounces 3 drams 24 grains. The succeeding year, being 

 drier and hotter, it lost 3 ounces 2^i- scruples; and more than double in the six 

 colder than the six hotter months. I kept it about five years, and it decreased 

 in nearly the same proportion. In the year l66o, hanging it in a colder garret, 

 it perished. 



I observed that every year two of the greater leaves first changed colour then 

 withered, and in the spring there succeeded two fresh and green ones, but never 

 amounting to the size of any of the preceding ; so that I had always the same 

 number of leaves. These new leaves were more fresh and green, and not ser- 

 rated, and were thicker also in proportion to their other dimensions. From the 

 growth of these latter leaves perhaps it may be inferred that there is a circula- 

 tion of the nutritious juice in this plant. For how is it possible that the roots, 

 continuing as firm and solid as at first, should supply so much nourishment as 

 to procreate new leaves, unless it were from the return of the said juice from 

 the old and decaying leaves into the root, and there protruded for the produc- 

 tion of new ones ? 



On Mr. Gascoigne's Microjneter. By Mr, Rd. Toivnley. 



N" 25, p. 457. 



Observing in No. 21 of the Phil. Trans, how much M. Auzout esteems his 

 invention of dividing a foot into near 30,000 parts, and thence taking angles 

 to very great exactness ; I think it right to inform the world that I have found, 

 by some scattered papers of one Mr. Gascoigne, that, before the late civil wars, 

 he had not only devised an instrument of as great a power as M. Auzout's, but 

 had also for some years made use of it, not only for taking the diameters of the 

 planets and distances upon land, but had farther endeavoured to gather many 

 certainties in the heavens ; amongst which I shall only mention one, viz. The 

 finding the moon's distance, from two observations of her horizontal and meri- 

 dional diameters : which I the rather mention, because the French astronomer 

 esteems himself the first who in that way undertook to settle the moon's paral- 

 lax. The very instrument he first made I have now by me, and two others 

 more perfected by him ; which doubtless he would have greatly improved, had 



VOL. I. X 



