852 



EEPORT — 1901. 



9. On the Strenr/th and Resistance to Pressure of Certain Seeds and Ifruits. 

 By G. F. Scott Elliot, M.A., B.Sc, F.C.S., F.E.G.S. 



Everyone is familiar with the extraordinary hardness and toughness of many 

 common seeds and fruits, but the writer has failed to discover any definite and 

 detailed account of the amount of weight which such seeds can endure without 

 breaking. The experiments, of which an abstract is given, were generally 

 conducted with a spring balance -weighing up to 50 lb., and carefully tested 

 beforehand. Those seeds and fruits which withstood a pressure of 50 lb. were 

 tested with a Wicksteed's single-lever vertical testing machine, which, through 

 the great kindness of Professor J. G. Longbottom, JM.E., M.I.M E., was placed at 

 the author's disposal. In all cases the weight mentioned is that at which the 

 first sign of decided injury could be perceived. Many other seeds and fruits were 

 tried, but a very large number were found unsuitable, through the difiiculty of 

 distinguishing the exact moment at which bursting occurred. 



In the cases of the follovnng seeds or fruits the breaking weight was over 

 50 lb. It w.as therefore not possible to test so large a number as the author 

 would have desired. 



