VOL. XXXVII.] PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS. 46? 



latter end of May, and this year not so soon, the ground being yet covered 

 with abundance of ice and snow. 



Though these experiments seem to be calculated only for amusement, yet 

 they have furnished him with some lights, as to the rise of the sap in plants. 



Experiments relating to the same Subject. By Philip Miller, F. R. S. Gardener 

 to the Company of apothecaries, at their Botanic Garden in Chelsea. 

 N°418, p. 81. 



The glasses, marked N° J, were roots of a hyacinth, commonly known by 

 the name of pulchra. N° 2 were roots of the common oriental blue hyacinth. 

 The flowers of these were not so large as they are commonly produced when 

 planted in a bed of earth; but this was occasioned by the bulbs dividing into 

 several off-sets, each of which are as so many different small roots, sending 

 forth stems and leaves. N° 3, was a bulb of a tulip, which though placed on 

 the glass of water at the same time as the hyacinths, yet was not likely to 

 flower in a month. N° 4, was a root of narcissus. This was also as back- 

 ward as the tulip, though put on the water at the same time as the hyacinths. 

 These roots were placed on the glasses the beginning of November, at which 

 time Mr. M. put them into a green-house, where the air was kept constantly 

 in a temperate warmth. The glasses were filled with common Thames water, 

 so near to the top, that when the bulbs were placed on the glasses, it might 

 be about a quarter of an inch below the bottom of the bulbs. Into those 

 glasses marked N" 5, he put a small quantity of common garden mould, to try 

 whether that would forward their flowering, or increase their strength; but he 

 found that all the roots which were placed on those glasses, into which the 

 earth was put, were at least a fortnight later than the others, before their fibres 

 were emitted, and their progress has been since much slower. Also the water, 

 in those glasses were the earth was put, did not waste above half so fast as it 

 did in those glasses where there was none, which might be occasioned by the 

 terrestrial matter mixing with the water, and so rendering it thicker, and less 

 capable of being attracted by the plants, or evaporating by the heat. And from 

 those glasses, where the bulbs did not exactly cover their neck, the water eva- 

 porated much faster, than from those where the bulbs entirely covered the tops 

 of the glasses, so as to leave no vacuities round them. 



In about a month after the roots were put on the glasses of water, they began 

 to put out their fibres into the water; but they did not begin to put forth their 

 leaves, till their fibres were extended all over the glasses, and were almost full 

 grown. When their leaves began to appear, the buds of the hyacinth-flowers 

 were soon visible, and in about 3 weeks were fully blown. The tulips and 

 3 o a 



