572 [Assembly 



ces where these trees grew, or that they were buried in the ground 

 before the forest began. But vegetables appear on earth dug 

 from depths more or less deep, which were never known there 

 before. This has been often observed in England. We are forc- 

 ed to believe that those seeds have been buried there from time 

 immemorial, and kept sound out of the reach of all atmospheric 

 influences. 



Among other instances of longevity of seeds, the grains of 

 wheat found in the tombs of Egypt. That these liave vegetated 

 on planting has been treated with ridicule, although many en- 

 lightened men in England and Belgium do not doubt it. But 

 there is a case which Mr. Lindley and many other English sa- 

 vants must admit to be authentic. 



Mr. Meigs — About 16 years ago, a dentist of Dorchester, by the 

 name of McLean, desiring to give an account of the alterations pro- 

 duced in human teeth, by a long space of time, dug up near Maiden 

 Castle, in presence of many lovers of Archeology, one of the an- 

 cient Celtic tumuli, which are found in considerable numbers in 

 the south-west of England. At about thirty feet deep from the 

 surface of the ground, they found a colQEln, in which were the re- 

 mains of a skeleton and several articles of ornament. Upon a 

 minute search of the contents of this coffin, there was also disco- 

 vered among the bones, at the point corresponding with the sto- 

 mach, some matter, dry and blackish, very similar to old soil. 

 This was collected by McLean. On examination in the light, it 

 was discovered to contain a great number of ovoid (egg-shaped) 

 bodies, which were readily known to be raspberry seeds, their 

 outside integuments were greatly altered. The discovery exci- 

 ted deep interest. Some of them were presented to the duke of 

 Sussex, president of the Horticultural society. Some of the seeds 

 were broken, and found to have a vitality. It was therefore re- 

 solved to plant them. Six seeds were given to the duke, who 

 told his young German gardener, Mr. Hartweg, to plant them in 

 the hot-house, not telling him what they were or whence they 

 came, but that it was an experiment merely. The spot of each 

 seed was very carefully marked. ^ At the end of a few weeks, 

 four of the seeds came up, afterwards one of these perished, the 



