666 PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS. [aNNO J 702. 



when the bufFalos begin to chew the cud, they are put within this hedge ground, 

 and let stand until they have done, and this they continue day and night, till it 

 be sufficiently dunged ; then the ground is dug with a spade, in form of a pick- 

 axe, such as carpenters use when they dub planks, by hoeing the ground, and 

 mixing the dung among the earth ; when the ground is made smooth, they 

 remove the plants out of the seed-bed, and set them in this ground, about a 

 foot distance from each other, and then they grow up almost like a dock ; when 

 the stem has got 15 leaves, they cut off all the tops of the plants ; and if they 

 desire not to have the tobacco very strong, they let it grow till it has 18 or 20; 

 but when they would have it stronger, they top it when it has got 10 or 12 

 leaves, not counting the 3 or 4 lowest leaves, which are nearest the ground, 

 because they never grow so large and good as those above them. Thus the 

 moisture of the ground not being wasted in leaves, flowers, and seed, it makes 

 the remaining leaves 4 or 5 times larger, fatter, fuller of strength and virtue, 

 than the tobacco which is not ordered after this manner. Every 3 or 4 days 

 they go through all the stems, and brake oft' the buds or side-shoots whenever 

 they spring out ; and this they continue to do till the leaves be ripe, which is 

 known by the thickness and firmness. 



Then while the leaf is green they cut down the stem together with the leaves, 

 and bring them into their houses, laying them in a heap; and thus the leaves 

 begin to ferment and turn hot ; and when they begin to sweat, tiiey turn the 

 innermost outward, that they may ferment easily, otherwise the innermost would 

 ferment too much, spoil and rot ; thus the longer they lie in a heap together, 

 the tobacco turns the darker coloured. When it has sweated enough, they 

 hang it asunder upon cords till the leaves are dry : then they separate the leaves 

 from the stalks, and lay them up in bundles together, till they are wanted for 

 use. 



Abstract of some Letters from Mr. Anth. Van Lemvenhoeck, F. R. S. to the 

 Right Hon. Lord Soniers, P.R.S. containing several Microscopical Observa- 

 tions and Experiments concerning the Animalcula in Semine Masculino of Cocks ; 

 of Spiders ; Shortness of Breath, &c. N° 279, P- 11^7. 



I have often observed, that young cocks, not arrived to half their growth, are 

 wont to tease the young hens to couple with them, which the latter always 

 refused till they had laid eggs, that is, till they were 4 or 5 months old. This 

 made me conclude that when the young cocks were thus stiinulated to copula- 

 tion, the animalcula in their seed were living, which upon viewing I always 

 found to be so. On opening the seminal vessels of a young cock that was 

 newly killed, plucked, and still warm, I discovered these animalcula still living; 



