VOL. LXT.] PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS. ^ * 1/9 



and do of themselves increase as fast, pro|X)rtionally, and are as hardy, as any 

 trees we have. Yet it is not to be expected, that these of exotic origin, more 

 than those that have been long familiar to us, should increase alike in all soils, or 

 in all counties, since there are some soils that are far from being general. 



Mr. Da Costa, in his Nat. Hist, of Fossils, observes, that " Chalk, is found 

 chiefly in the south-east part of this island," so that, " if a straight line were 

 drawn from Dorchester (in Dorsetshire) to the coast of Norfolk, it would 

 almost include our chalky strata;" and I believe his observation to be just, 

 except that, though the line be drawn even to the most western part of that 

 coast, this soil extends considerably beyond it, into Wiltshire. We know that, 

 of all soils, this is the most favourable to beech, white-beam, juniper, viburnum, 

 traveller's-joy, and to many of the herbaceous tribe, though not only such, but 

 many foreign plants will increase in soils that are not the most suitable to them. 



In the woods here, and at a distant place, I find, not unfrequently, seedlings 

 of the Scotch-pine (which whether indigenous of Scotland, or not, may be 

 doubtful), spruce-fir, horse-chestnut, walnut, and perhaps more than I can at 

 this time recollect. Of the 4 kinds mentioned, some trees, notwithstanding the 

 tread and the browsing of cattle, now grown to a considerable height, I am 

 certain were not planted. Of the first 3 there are many not far off, that were 

 planted, and probably may in most seasons bear perfect seeds: but of the walnut 

 I do not know that there is, or has been, within half a mile of the first- 

 mentioned woods, a tree that has produced a nut mature enough for vegetation. 

 It is, however, easy to conceive, that the nuts may have been brought from a 

 much greater distance by birds, or other animals, and dropped accidentally, or 

 hoarded and forgotten, or perhaps not needed. In a shrubbery, many years 

 left to nature, I have observed very numerous progenies of various foreign shrubs, 

 both from the seeds and roots; and it is well known to gardeners, that many of 

 their once choice flowering herbs are apt to multiply in the way of suckers, while 

 the seeds of others sow themselves so plentifully, as not easily to be kept within 

 bounds. It therefore seems to me not unlikely, that all these kinds, and many 

 more perhaps yet unimported, may in future ages be so far naturalized as to be 

 deemed indigenous of this land." 



XLII. A Catalogue of the Fifty Specimens of Plants, from Chelsea Garden, 

 presented to the Royal Society, for the Year 1770, pursuant to the Direction 

 of the late Sir Hans Shane, Bart., from the Society of Apothecaries, London : 

 By Staneshy Alchorne, Member of the said Society, p. SQO. 



The 49th presentation, making 2450 different plants. 

 XLIII. Astronomical Observations made, by Appointment of the Royal Society, 



