C 75 1 
Received March 9, 1768. 
XL A Letter from John Ellis, Efquire, 
F. R. S. to the Prejident , on the Succefs of 
his Experiments for prejerving Acorns f or 
a whole Tear without planting them , fo as 
to be in a State fit for V egetation ? with 
a View to bring over fome of the mofi va- 
luable Seeds from the Eaft Indies, to plant 
for the Benefit of our American Colonies . 
Read March io, T y AVIN G difcovered that the difap- 
1768. pointment, which I met with about 
a year ago, in attempting to preferve through the lea- 
fon fome ever-green oak acorns and fome chefnuts in 
wax, was owing to their being unfit for vegetation at 
the time of my inclofing them; I refolved in my 
next attempt to try only fuch as I was perfuaded were 
found and frefh. 
Fortunately, my curious and learned friend the Right 
Honorable Sir Thomas Sewell Matter of the Rolls, 
hearing of my diftrefs, offered to procure me fome 
excellent acorns of the englifh oak, part of a parcel he 
had been fowing at his feat at Otterfhaw near Chert- 
fey in Surrey ; thefe he was fo obliging to fend me 
the 20th of February 1767; part of them I fowcd 
immediately under the windows of my chambers, in 
the kitchen garden of Grays Inn : and on the 22d of 
the fame month I inclofed about 36 of them in bees- 
L 2 wax. 
