VOL. LI.] PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS. 373 



XXIV. Experiments relating to the Preservation of Seeds. By John Ellis, 



Esq., F.R.S. p. 206. 



In order to send abroad a supply of cork acorns in a growing state, Mr. E* 

 tried the following experiments on them to preserve them sound. He tried the 

 very same experiments, at the same time, on a parcel of fresh oak acorns, which 

 he collected at Sydenham in Kent, the latter end of last October, and had 

 since kept them by him in a box in a warm room, it may give some insight into 

 what may be the fate of those sent abroad. The experiments were made be- 

 tween the 25th and 30th of October 1758 ; and the acorns cut open to see the 

 effects, Jan. 17, 1759- 



Exper. 1 . — Acorns of the English oak smeared over several times with a strong 

 solution of gum arabic ; and also they had been dried in a window, folded in a 

 piece of paper, and put into a deal box. When these were cut open, they ap- 

 peared hard, dry, and inclining to black, being quite perished. 



Exper. 1. — Some acorns treated as in the first experiment, were wrapped up 

 in papers, soaked in a strong solution of gum arabic, each in a separate paper: 

 after they had been dried, they were put in the box with the rest. These were 

 somewhat softer than the first, but decayed. 



Exper. 3. — Some of them were smeared several times over with gum senega; 

 and when they were dried in the window, and well hardened, were put in a 

 paper into the deal box. These looked rather better than the two former par- 

 cels ; but unfit for vegetation. 



Exper. 4. — Some of the same acorns were put into the middle of a cake of 

 plasterers stifT loam, or such as the brewers use to stop their beer barrels, and 

 covered over near an inch on every side. This soon became dry, without any 

 cracks : it was about 2-^ inches thick ; and was placed with the rest, wrapped 

 up in a paper, in the box. The kernels of these were shrivelled up, and grown 

 quite dry and hard, like horn, the loam proving a strong absorbent. 



Exper. 5. — Some were rolled up separately in thin flakes of bees-wax warmed, 

 to make it pliable, and put it in paper in the box. These looked very well 

 when they were cut asunder, and appeared likely to grow ; but were a little 

 shrunk. 



Exper. 6. — Some were rolled separately in rosin, made pliable with warmth. 

 These cut quite fresh. 



Exper. 7- — Some of them were rolled, each in a thin covering of a mixture 

 of pitch, rosin, and bees-wax, called mummy by the gardeners. These cut as 

 well, and looked as fresh as if they had just fallen from the tree. 



The cork acorns, sent to Georgia, were inclosed in the same substances with 

 the foregoing, and put into a box filled with dry sand, quite full, and well fas- 

 tened : this was put into a tight cask, among papers and wearing apparel, and- 

 stowed in the upper part of the hold of the ship. 



