Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1852-12-06


VITALITY OF SEEDs.--In a recent discussion
in the Farmers Club, at the American Institute
in New York, Henry Meigs, Esq, said that some
months ago, the Club received an account of
raspberry seeds found in the grave of a man who
has been buried about 200 years, terminating
on being planted. Many persons entertained
doubts as to the truth of this. We now extract
from the proceedings Of the twenty second meet
ing of the British Association for the Advance
ment of Science, at which DIR Lancaster read the
reeort of a Committee appointed to make expert
ments on the growth and vitality of seeds. The
seed set apart for this years sowing, were those
collected in 1874. 1t was the third time.he same
seeds had been experimental with, and it was
found that there was very evident decrease in
the number of those which vegelaed, compared
with those of previous sowngs. Dr. Lancaster
explained the object Of the Committee, and stated
that the fact Of raspberry seeds growing, which
had been taken from the stomach of the body of
a human being, buried in iuniuus Dorset
shire, and which mad been doubted, had been re-
investigated during the past year, and there SEEM
ed no reason to doubt that the seeds thus buried
for centuries, had terminated. DR. Roye also
stated at the meeting, that having been present
when the original mass of matter taken from the
stomach of the dead person was brought to DIR
Lindey in London, and the raspberry seeds dis
COVeTeu III u, ne Hdu no uOuDl vi the correctness
Of the conclusion that the seeds which had thus
been swallowed and buried, had terminated af-
ter the lapse Of centuries
Mr. Meigs, in reference to the vitality OF seeds,
called the attention of the members TO the well
known fact of The growth of clover, &c, in places
which had been covered for ages with forest, and
where clover had never been seen before. 1t is
true that the Committee of the British Associa.
ton find that seeds kept in boxes, in dry places,
lose their vitality; therefore the experiments, to
be effectua, should take the positions as the
buried raspberry, white clover, &c 1t is well
known that wood and leaves have been found, in
the course of geological researches, buried in
marshes, perfectly sound. The burnt timber in
the peat-bogs of Ireland and elsewhere, is found
good for all the purposes of surface tree, al
though it must have been buried at least 1000
years. The deep pits made by some of the an
Gent African and Arabian people TO preserve
their wheat, preserved it sound for great length
of time, by placing it at depth where the tenn
perature never changed three degrees in a century
~ An elephant, which bad long been an inmate
Of Stupingi, summer residence Of the King of Sar-
dina, was put to death the 9TH inst. This fine
animal was of enormous size. He was killed by
means Of carbonic acid, all the doors and windows
being closed Some time ago, his groom having ill.,
treated him. he fell into fit of rage, seized him
with his trunk, and flung him in the air to the
height OF hundred feet. Since then he had not
been permitted to quit his stable. file had become
extremely dull and heavy, and only allowed the wife
Of his former attendant toapproach him. The King
ordered him TO be stuffed, and placed in the Turin
Museum.
a." Mr. Emerson, in one of his lectures, obsery-
ed that in New England, man might one day
be tavern keeper and the next a judge. ga
very natural transition whispered wag "from
the bar to the bench"