44G ON THE SEASONAL GROWTH OF PLANTS. 
as possible, the seeds of lucern, brocfcoli, winter spinach; also a few 
peas, French beans, and two or three grains of Indian corn (Zea). To 
protect the seeds from birds, or the direct force of a shower, if such 
should fall, I placed some sticks in the soil at an angle over the ground, 
and threw over them a loose thread net. Nothing touched the seeds 
and they were perfectly exposed to the sight. 
As the dry weather continued, I gave a light sprinkling two or three 
times over the net, letting the water fall from the rose of the pot so 
gently, that the seeds were not disturbed, or forced into the soil. 
In a few days the seeds, with the exception of the Indian corn, 
swelled, and protruded the radicles, which penetrated the ground. The 
spinach was the most active; the lucern in the next degree so: the 
husks were lifted up by the plumule, and supported far above the sur¬ 
face. The broccoli succeeded, and the two legumes also followed the 
same course } the Zea did not stir. 
To remove ambiguity, and to make <f assurance doubly sure,” (as it 
became necessary to give occasional waterings, owing to the absence of 
rain or dew,) the seeds had been repeatedly taken up, examined, and 
cautiously laid again upon the surface, till it became certain that the 
progress of growth was absolutely established. Finally, many plants 
were as perfectly formed and fixed as any that I ever saw, when the 
usual process of sowing had been observed. Husks (testce) were 
thrown off, and the seed-leaves expanded; in a word, the vegetation 
was complete. 
I have stated a simple tissue of facts, seen and attested; hence I 
must assert that seeds will germinate in a full exposure to sun, air, 
and water, without any covering of soil whatever. The phenomena 
thus artificially induced are, indeed, in exact accordance with those 
which, I firmly believe, take place in natural situations, in hundreds of 
instances; still, however, I am perfectly ready to admit that sowings, 
with a slight and appropriate covering of soil, are to be preferred. I 
only argue that your first correspondent’s case is made out, and the 
fact established, that plants will grow, and developc all their parts, 
from seeds dropped upon the bare surface of the ground, without any 
covering of soil, or other protecting screen whatsoever. 
G. J. T. 
ON THE SEASONAL GROWTH OF PLANTS. 
That the growth of plants is affected chiefly by the temperature of 
the climate of which they are natives, is well known. On the confines 
of the frigid zone, and over all the temperate, and part of the torrid 
