SINKING IN SHIPS WATER TANKS. 253 



their proper preparation would bear no proportion to the value 

 of the seeds preserved. 



There is also on record (see Gardeners' Chronicle, 1844, 

 p. 83) an interesting experiment by Mr. James M'GaU, at the 

 time gardener to Colonel now Sir William Reid, the governor of 

 the Bermudas. In those islands there are sudden and violent 

 changes of climate, caused by the dry winds of the north 

 shifting to hot southerly winds, bringing an atmosphere loaded 

 with moisture. In consequence of this there is a great difficulty 

 in preserving seeds, which, although they spring luxuriantly 

 before the middle of summer, immediately afterwards lose their 

 germinating power. Bottles, carefuUy sealed, and thick brown- 

 paper packages are generally employed for their preservation, 

 and kept in a cool and well-aired room. But although this 

 preserves them from insects, yet the advantage does not appear 

 to extend further. In the beginning of May last, Mr. M'GaU 

 was induced, from the evenness of the temperature there, to 

 put a bottle of Onion-seed, carefuUy sealed, which had arrived 

 at Bermuda from Madeira in the beginning of February, into 

 the bottom of a cistern of rain-water five feet below the surface 

 of the earth. The cistern was cased with Roman cement, and 

 had a free circulation of air above the cement, about seven feet 

 from the bottom. On the 1st of November, about the usual 

 time of sowing, this bottle was taken out and its contents sown, 

 together with those of four other bottles of the same package, 

 which had been kept in a cool warehouse during the summer, 

 and of three others. In aU cases the seed came up more or 

 less; that in some of the bottles to the extent of about a fifth 

 part, others of about a tenth, but in some scarcely at aU. The 

 seed, however, which had been kept under water came up 

 regularly, and four or five days sooner than the others; the 

 plants were strong, and not more than a fifth part of the seed 

 failed. The seed in three of the bottles looked pale when 

 opened, and several seeds were chipped or broken ; the fourth 

 bottle, in comparison with that taken out of the water, seemed 

 equally fresh, though very few seeds sprung. It is no doubt 

 possible that some of the seed was not good when first imported ; 

 but be that as it may, the seed kept under water came up as 



