Science of Gardening. 685 



for 15 minutes, having been more retarded than the rest, as it might have 

 been a bad specimen ; but it seems very clear, that the heat to which these 

 seeds were exposed must have acted as a decided stimulus to their germina- 

 tion; whilst it is a very singular fact, that they should not have been com- 

 pletely destroyed by it. Had I supposed it probable that a seed, which was 

 boiled for 15 minutes, would have germinated, I should have boiled some of 

 the others still longer, in order to ascertain the extreme limit to which such 

 severe treatment might be carried without destroying the vital principle." — 

 Cambridge, July 8, 1836. 



In pursuance of this subject, at the Bristol meeting, "Mr. Hope mentioned 

 a practice, common in some parts of Spain, of baking corn to a certain extent, 

 by exposing it to a temperature of 150°, or upwards, for the purpose of 

 destroying an insect by which it was liable to be attacked. Dr. liichardson 

 mentioned, that the seeds sold in China for the European market were pre- 

 viously boiled, for the purpose of destroying their vitality, as the jealousy of 

 that people made them anxious to prevent their exportation in a state fitted 

 for germmation. Upon sowing these seeds, he had, nevertheless, observed 

 some few of them were still capable of vegetating." {Edin. New Phil. Journ., 

 vol. xxi. Oct. 1836, p. 333.) 



Artesian Wells. — M. Mulot, who has the management of the process now 

 in operation at the Barriere de Grenelle, near Paris, for forming artesian 

 wells, has already penetrated 1088 ft. without finding water. His contract 

 is to bore as low as 1200 ft. ; and if no water is found at this depth, the en- 

 gineer is ready to make a new contract with the city of Paris, to go to the 

 enormous depth of 2000 ft.; such a depth has never yet been sounded on 

 the surface of the globe. {Athenceum, 1836, p. 740.) If the depth of 2000ft. 

 can be attained, at any thing like a moderate expense^ it is probable that a 

 still greater depth is practicable ; and if so, water may probably be found in 

 every spot on the face of the earth. Tiie fertility of the most arid deserts 

 would thus be secured, and the whole world rendered one fertile garden. 

 The next step would be to call down fire from the clouds, in the form of 

 electricity, so as to facilitate the operations of cooking, and the driving of 

 machinery. 



Heating by Hot Water drawn up from the Boivels of the Earth, — It seems 

 to be now proved beyond dispute, that the temperature of the earth increases 

 from the surface downwards; and consequently, at a certain depth, the heat of 

 water must be at the boiling point ; and at a still greater depth, all materials 

 whatever must be in a fluid state. At the meeting of the Bristol Associ- 

 ation in August, 1836, Professor Stevelly suggested the idea of bringing up 

 hot water from the bowels of the earth to its surface ; and heating houses, ma- 

 nufactories, &c., with it, so as to keep them at a given temperature, in the same 

 manner as is done with the apparatus by water artificially heated. (Lit. Gaz., 

 Sept. 3. 1836, p. 551.) As, at a certain depth, the water must be at such a 

 degree of temperature, as when allowed to expand, it will instantly become high- 

 pressure steam, it seems not altogether impossible that our stationary steam 

 engines may be supplied with that material without the use of fuel; and hence 

 those who look forward with fear to the period when the coal mines will be 

 exhausted, may derive some small degree of consolation. At all events, 

 it seems not unreasonable to suppose that, if a bore or artesian well is car- 

 ried so deep as to penetrate into a stratum of water at a sufficient temper- 

 ature to expand itself into steam, there will be no difficulty in the water 

 ascending to the surface. If ever so complete a command of water should 

 be obtained by man, in every part of the world, except, of course, the frozen 

 zone, the climate and culture of the whole would be altered : and who can 

 tell what may be the ultimate result of the operations of man, in one way or 

 another, chemically, electrically, and mechanically, upon the globe ? 



The Structure of Pit Coal. — The following extracts, taken from a notice, 

 in the Philosophical Magazine, of an Essay entitled " Observations on Coal," 

 by W. Hutton, Esq., F. G. S., may not be uninteresting to the readers of this 



