VOL. XLI/.J PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS. 631 



Concerning the wonderful Increase of the Seeds of Plants, e. g. of the Upright 

 Mallow. By Mr. Joseph Hobson of Macclesfield. N° 4t)8, p. 320. 



In the upright mallow, the seeds being disposed in rings, Mr H. counted 

 those which were on the principal stems, and found them as follows. 



Rings in all lOlQQ 



Multiply by seeds in one ring 12 Seeds. 



Number of seeds . 1 22388 



Allow for two large stems destroyed 7612 



Seeds in all J 300OO 



He then counted the seeds in several particular rings,, and found them com- 

 monly 14 in each, but has confined himself to multiply the rings by 12, which 

 is moderate, yet makes the number of seeds amount to 130000, allowing 7612 

 seeds for 2 large stems cut down and destroyed, a moderate allowance, con- 

 sidering 2 of the stems alone contain each above 1000 rings: some of these 

 stems were above 2 yards and a half high. This plant was a seedling last year, 

 transplanted out of the fields on the end of a sloping strawberry-bed ; and he 

 counted the rings in the middle of July, when it had thousands of flowers upon 

 it, which, with thousands that must still succeed, might very probably produce 

 more than 50000 seeds more, even supposing many of the flowers to produce 

 no seed, considering 1000 rings contain 12000 seeds and more; and if we 

 multiply the number of rings actually counted, by 14, the number of seeds 

 contained in one ring, instead of 12, we shall have an addition of 20O0O 

 seeds, all which, added together, amount to 200000, the possible increase of 

 one seed. 



On the Nature of Amber. By John Ambrose Bearer. N° 468, p. 322. 



From the Latin. 



M. Beurer cannot admit that amber is the resinous juice of a tree, for these 

 reasons: Is it probable that amber should pass out of the earth into the sea ? or 

 whence is that passage ? since the trees are not near the sea. 



Again, can this resin pass through the earth like water, or difi^use itself so 

 copiously through it ? If this were possible, would it not rather grow stift', and 

 adhere to the surface of the earth. 



Besides, the heat of the sun can never cause such a flood of resins, as to fill 

 several subterraneous tracts. For resins exude by drops, the least part of which 



