VOL. XXIII.] PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS. 65 



forth a small matter out of the membranes of the seed, as shown in fig. 28 ; 

 AB being that part of the plant which was to become the root, and bcd the rest 

 of the seed, involved in its membranes. 



Moreover, I took another seed out of the said box, which having cleansed 

 from the sand, and separated from its membranes, I took the two lobes of the 

 kernel that inclose the plant, as seen in fig. 23 and 24, and with fine pins parted 

 them a little asunder, that I might show the top of the plant represented in 

 fig. 25, by OP a. 



Fig. 29, E F G H I represent the seed, which, as beforesaid, had lain 6 days in 

 the sand, and was divested of its membranes, ep show that part which is 

 destined for the root, pg and if are those parts from whence the young plant 

 receives its nourishment; and which by two pins, k and l, are divided from 

 each other, in order to discover that part of the inclosed plant which will be- 

 come the body of the tree, which is represented by h, and may be seen with 

 the naked eye. 



Fig. 30, NOPftR show how far the seed can shoot out its root in 12 days, 

 which is also divested of its membranes, and placed sidewise before the glass, 

 that the strings uniting the two parts of the seed to the plant, may be the more 

 easily discovered, nor show the root; op and qr the seed or kernel, divided 

 into two equal parts; or the strings united to the plant, and from which it 

 draws its first nourishment. On cutting those strings across, and close to the 

 plant, I found in each string three vessels, through which 1 concluded that 

 tnost of the nourishment was derived from the seed to the plant. I separated 

 the two parts of the seed with two pins, that they might be the better viewed 

 by the naked eye, as appears in fig. 31; stx show the root; Tvandwxthe 

 two halves of the kernel ; and y that part which is to become the body of the 

 tree, much larger than h in fig. 29. 



After having proceeded with my copper-box about 18 days, in the manner 

 above-mentioned, I opened it again, when the appearance was as in fig. ], 

 pi. 3; where abcde represent the copper-box; and c the seeds, as they, with 

 their plants and roots, were risen above the sand ; also fig. 2, p g h show the 

 cover of the said box. Having poured out all the sand, I observed that all the 

 moisture was evaporated from it, which doubtless was drawn off by the seeds, 

 of which I had put 16 into the said box; all of which had shot out their roots 

 and produced plants, some indeed much larger than the rest; and two or three 

 of the seeds produced double plants, and one that yielded three plants. Fig. 17, 

 AAA represent the said three plants, andsBB the three roots; all confusedly 

 huddled together, by the pressure and want of room. 



vol. v. K 



