266 TRANSACTIONS OF THE 



once planted five rows, using lime, plaster, ashes and salt, as 

 manure. The salt produced short stout vines, some of them 

 more than half an inch in diameter, and the yield was double 

 of that from any other fertilizer. This was before the advent of 

 the potato rot. Some other conversation followed upon this 

 subject, but the few members present were not generally prepared 

 to greatly enlighten the world to day, and the subject was post- 

 poned, together with the others advertised. It was also agreed 

 to discuss the blackberry and raspberry question at the meeting 

 two weeks hence. 



SPONTANEOUS GENERATION—WHERE DOES THE SEED 



COME FROM? 



Solon Robinson — I have received two letters based upon the 

 discussion upon this subject that took place in the Club at the 

 last meeting, which I will read for the information of members, 

 without endorsing either of the writers' opinions. The first one 

 is written by 0. S. Murray, formerly an editor, I believe, in this 

 city, from " Twenty Mile Stand," Ohio, and quotes his text from 

 the proceedings of the meeting, as follows : 



'^ I should like to know how oaks are produced upon land that 

 has borne other sorts of trees for centuries, without an oak near. 

 Where do the acorns come from 1 It is not possible that they 

 should lie buried, because, as it is well known, they will not 

 keep. It is difficult to preserve the vitality of acorns over from 

 one year to another. Yet, as we hear, oaks at once spring up 

 where none grew before." 



"It is quite conceivable to me that these questions should be 

 puzzlers to believers in such unnatural, and assumed-to-be super- 

 natural powers of creation, as are taught in a book composed 

 largely of fables and accepted as divine revelation. But the 

 observer of nature, who dares to accept evidence against the 

 dictations and denunciations of those who damn others for disbe- 

 lief of what is unnatural and impossible, can better believe an 

 oak can be in existence without an acorn to have produced it, 

 than that an acorn can be, or at any time could have been in 

 existence without an oak to have produced it. Probably he 



