T R A 



formed by their branches or horns, each of them has never- 

 thelefs a double curve, which is partly vertical, and partly 

 horizontal, with regard to its fitHation in the (hip. The 

 former of thefe is called, by the artificers, the round-up, and 

 the latter the round-aft. 



As the tranfoms fill up the whole fpace comprehended 

 between the head of the ftern-poft above, and the aft-moft 

 floor-timbers below, it is neceflary to diftinguifh them by 

 particular names. Thus, the higheft is called the iving- 

 tranfom ; the next, the deck-tranfom ; and afterwards follow 

 the firft, fecond, and third tranloms, together with the in- 

 termediate ones. 



The higheft tranfoms are connefted to the fliip's quarter 

 by knees, which are bolted to thofe pieces, and to the after- 

 timbers. See Sleepeus. Falconer. 



TRANSPARENCY, Diaphaneity, in Ph^fics, a 

 quality in certain bodies, by which they give pafTage to the 

 rays of light. 



The tranfparency of natural bodies, as glafs, water, air, 

 &c. fome have imputed to the great number and fize of the 

 pores or interftices between the particles of thofe bodies : 

 but this account is exceedingly defedtive ; for the moil folid 

 and opaque body in nature, we know, contains a great deal 

 more pores than it does matter ; a great deal more, furely, 

 than is neceflary for the paffage of fo infinitely fine and 

 fubtle a body as light. 



Ariftotle, Defcartes, &c. place tranfparency in the rec- 

 titude or ftraightnefs of the pores ; by means of which, fay 

 they, the rays are enabled to make their way through with- 

 out ftriking againft the folid parts, and being reflected back 

 again : but this account, fir Ifaac Newton fliews, is imper- 

 fedl ; the quantity of pores, in all bodies, being fuflBcient 

 to tranfmit all the rays that fall on them, however thofe 

 pores be fituated with refpeft to each other. 



The caufe, then, why all bodies are not tranfparent, muft 

 not be afcribed to their wanting reftilinear pores ; but either 

 to the unequal denfity of the parts, or to the pores being 

 filled with fome foreign matters, or to their being quite 

 empty, by means of which the rays, in pafling through, 

 undergoing a great variety of refleftions and refraftions, are 

 perpetually diverted this way and that, till, at length, fall- 

 ing on fome of the folid parts of the body, they are extin- 

 guifhed and abforbed. 



Thus cork, paper, wood, &c. are opaque ; whereas glafs, 

 diamonds, &c. are tranfparent : tlie reafon is, that in the 

 neighbourhood of parts equal in denfity, fuch as tliofe of 

 glafs, water, diamonds, &c. are with refpeft to each other, 

 the attraftion being equal on every fide, no refleftion or re- 

 fraftion enfues : but the rays, which entered the firft fur- 

 face of the bodies, proceed, without interruption, quite 

 through the body, thofe few only excepted which chance 

 to meet with the folid parts : but in the neiglibourhood of 

 parts that differ much in denfity, fucli as the parts of wood 

 and paper are, both in refpeft of tliemfelves, and of the air, 

 or the empty fpace in their pores ; as the attraftion will be 

 very unequal, the refleftions and refraftions muft be very 

 great ; and therefore the rays will not be able to make their 

 way through fuch bodies, but will be properly deflefted, 

 and at laft quite flopped. See Opacity. 



TRANSPARENT, we think, would be as ufeful a 

 term in mufic, as in painting. We know that vifibility and 

 audibility are objefts of two different fenies ; but clearnefs, 

 chiarezza, is a favourite excellence with muficians, in fpeak- 

 ing of counterpoint : and in compofitions of many different 

 parts carrying on different defigns, that clearnefs in their 

 texture and arrangement, which enables the hearer to dif- 

 VoL. XXXVI. 



T R A 



entangle them, and to diftinguifh the feveral parts through 

 each other, but particularly in vocal mufic, and to hear the 

 principal melody through all the accompaniments, we think 

 might with fome degree of propriety be termed tranfparency. 

 Transparent Column. See Column. 

 TRANSPIRATION, in Phyfology, an expreffion de- 

 rived from the French, for the cutaneous exhalation. See 

 Integuments. 



TRANSPLANTATION, in Natural Magic, was ufed 

 for a ridiculous fuppofed method of curing difeafes by 

 transferring them from one fubjeft to another ; and was 

 much in vogue among certain chemical, or rither fympa- 

 thetical phyficians, fome ages ago. 



This tranfplantation was effefted, either by the ufe of a 

 certain medium, called on that account a magnet ; or, vsdth- 

 out that, only by fimple contaft. 



Tranfplantation, by means of the magnet, was of five 

 kinds, viz. infemination, implantation, impofition, irroration, 

 and inefcation ; but the whole praftice is now defervedly 

 exploded. 



Transplantation, or Tranfplanting, in Agriculture and 

 Gardening, the operation of removing plants and trees of 

 various kinds from the fituations and places in which they 

 were originally fown, fet, or raifed, and replanting them 

 in others which are more convenient and fuitable. It is 

 praftifed with a great number of each of thefe different 

 forts of vegetable produftions. 



With the former, for field crops, it is had recourfe to 

 with many of the cabbage tribe, and fome other fuch forts 

 of plants, for wheat, and lately for potatoes. The tranf- 

 planting of all the different forts of plants of the firft of 

 thefe kinds, fiiould always be performed, as much as poflible, 

 when the weather is in rather a moift ftate, the ground hav- 

 ing previoufly been put into a fuitable ilate of preparation, 

 by proper ploughing and other means. The plants are 

 placed out, in uich cafes, at different diftances, as from 

 two to three feet or more, as the nature of the land and 

 circumftances may direft. 



In tranfplanting wheat plants, which is fometimes the 

 cafe, it has been noticed to be a praftice which is not likely 

 to become general for whole fields, but that circumifances 

 may not unfrequently occur where it may be attended with 

 much benefit when employed in a partial manner ; as in 

 thofe cafes where fome accidental failures may have hap- 

 pened to the parts of fields, which on a careful examination 

 may be found to have wholly miffed, or to be thinner than 

 the others. In all fuch inftances, whatever may have been 

 the caufe of the deficiency, — whether from the wheat plants 

 having been deftroyed by wetnefs during the winter, or any 

 other caufe, — fome parts of the fame fields will moftly be 

 found, from which plants may be drawn for this purpofe, 

 witliout injur)' ; and if attention be paid to good and neat 

 cultivation, the vacancies may be ufefully filled up by tranf- 

 planting from fuch fpots, where it may fometimes happen 

 that tlie plants are fo thick as to do harm to each other, and, 

 of comfe, fervice be done to the crops in fucli parts, while 

 the vacant land is filling witli them in other places, and by 

 fuch means the whole be rendered more perfeft, uniform, 

 and regular, improving the appearance as well as the 

 abundance of the crops. 



The praftice of tranfplanting wheat in the early fpring 

 months, in thefe and other cafes, has long been advifed by 

 different writers, and lately had recourfe to, with great fuc- 

 cefs, in the parifh of Bocking in Eiftx, to fome confiderable 

 extent. It was there performed with the common dibble at 

 the diftance of twelve inches, but nine would have becji pre- 



T ferred, 



