178 I'HILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS. [ANNO 1727. 



requiring a new smooth place of the bark, on which to fix the rooting part, it 

 has frustrated all attempts of sowing it in the usual way of other seeds. 



Theophrastus, about 2000 years since, seems to endeavour at a reason, why 

 this seed could not grow in the earth : but all that he, or any one since, has 

 said upon it, is only to agree, that in fact it does not, and to wonder why so 

 perfect a seed should not grow in the earth. That ancient author rationally 

 concluded, from its having a seed, that the plant must come from that seed : 

 whereas latter times have been so fond of allowing chance a share in the pro- 

 ductions of nature, that Scaliger has not only experimentally confuted the com- 

 mon notion of misselto's being sown in the dung of the thrush ; but argues 

 also very strenuously, against the possibility of this plant's growing from its 

 seed. Even the great Lord Bacon, Sir Thomas Brown, Lobel, and the inqui- 

 sitive Mr. Ray, so late as 1 673, all give into the notion, that this plant has a 

 spontaneous and equivocal, rather than a seminal and univocal generation. 



Scaliger's strongest objection is, that misselto shoots from branches where it 

 is not possible either for compost or seed to stand. Lobel objects against it, 

 because of the imperfection of the berry, acinulo illo pallido pellucido. Mr. 

 Ray's argument is, viscus innatus etiam in prona ramorum parte. 



It is the property of true experience to clear up doubts, and answer objec- 

 tions : and if nature had been well examined, it would have appeared, that this 

 seed is of a substance equal to other kernels ; and that the pulp of tlie berry, 

 with which the seed is surrounded, is of a more clammy sticking nature, than 

 the pulp of other berries, for this very purpose, that it might be of strength 

 sufficient to fix the seed on any tree, how moveable or upright soever the bough 

 or twig should be, on which it chanced to light. 



And doubtless the birds are, though not by their dung, sowers of this, as 

 they are of many other seeds, which they carry away for food ; but often drop 

 in places where the seeds could otherwise never have come. 



On going to gather some misselto-berries, Mr. B. found a leaf, which had a 

 seed sticking on it ; doubtless by a casual fall out of the bill of some bird, that 

 had broken the berry as she was eating it. There was both a dry string of the 

 slime, and a dry spot of the same, on the leaf, that show how the seed was de- 

 tained there ; and how it must be done in like manner any where else. 



Mr. Barrel sowed these seeds on near 30 sorts of trees and shrubs, and yet 

 never had above 10 plants that held out the second year ; so that we need not 

 wonder at the little success that others have had in their trials of this seed ; and 

 may also see the reason why he had not been able to make many other experi- 

 ments about the growth of this plant. However, some casualties having 



