Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1883-02-03

WRITTEN FOB THE STAR BY D. TURNER.

Scotch writer In Chambers Edinburgh Jour
mai, more than "a quarter of q century ago, cited
number OF Interesting and curious facts on the
subject Of "LOng Vitality of Seeds" claiming
that seeds and plants, which had laid dormant at
great depth under the surface Of the earth for
succession Of ages, terminated either by being
exposed to the air or the action of some COM
post or manure. SIT is well known" said this
writer, THAT If pine forest OF America were
to be cut down, and the ground cultivated and
a1terward allowed to return to a state OF nature
1t would produce plants quite different from
those 10y which it had been previously occupied :"
Inc ABOVE statement brings fresh to my mind
an instance which occurred about thirty wears
ago, and OF which | was an eyewitness of
part OF the facts set forth. In the summer of
1870 extensive and destructive fires extended
over the mountains and valleys of the AdrOn-
daek region. The east side of Whiteface noun
tam was particularly noted tor its heavy and
closely-cOmpact growth of timber of all the va
rietles produced in that latitude. On this part
OF the mountain the fire ragged furiOusly tor
a week or mOre-in fact until the last tree,
twlg and plant was cOnsumed-and so in
tense was the heat that the very rocks crumbled
20. pieces, and the roots of the largest trees
We're consumed to the depth Of several feet
below the surface of the earth. For miles in
length and breadth nothing remained but ashes
and barren rocks and it was reasonable to SUD-
pose that it would so remain for long series of
years, without blade of grass, shrub or any
thing in the shape of vegetation. But to the
surprise of the inhabitants of that region. this
thoroughly burnt section was on the second
season following the fire almost completely COW
cred with blackberry and huckleberry bushes.
OF the most luxurious growth. 1t was ques-
ton that greatly puzzled the most intelligent
people of that vicinity, namely, from whence
came the seeds and materials to produce this
sudden and rapid growth of vegetation. 1t was
reasonable to suppose that a fire of such in
tense heat and long duration would have de-
strOyed every root and particle of seed down to
the depth of three to five feet. And what
seemed still more strange to all familiar with
the facts was that on the large tract of land
over which the fire had ragged an entire different
class OF vegetation sprung up in the places of
the trees and plants destroyed by the fire.
Blackberry and huckleberry bushes are seldom
found on sections of land densely covered
with large trees and the usual growth of sap
lngs and brush. This incident most emphati-
caliy yerihes the statement published in the
EdRb'uyh Journal in reference to pine forest
being cut down and cultivated, and afterwards
allowed to return to a state of nature would
produce plants and trees different from those with
which 1t had been previously occupied; it also
Verlfles another statement found in Jesse's
Gleanings of Natural History that $50 COM
pletely is the ground impregnated with Seeds
that if earth is brought to the surface from the
lowest depths some vegetable matter will
spring from It,"
Here are two other remarkable instances of
seeds. Ph9nix-like having sprung up from the
ashes of large fires. There Is an account in
"MOnson's Perludia Botanical" Of the appear
ance OF species OF mustard found growing in
the ruins and ashes produced by the great fire
In London; and a similar plant suddenly made
its appearance among the ruins after the fire of
MOSCOW, and continued to grow abundantly for
many years afterwards. The above facts, and
many others which could be added, sustains the
theory that the 'earth is full of seed"
LONG VITALITY OF SEEDS
A striking instance of the vitality of seeds Oc.
CURED in trenching some ground for planta-
ton at Bushy park, England, which had been
undisturbed by the spade or plow since, and
perhaps long before. the reign of Charles the
First. The ground was turned up in the winter,
and in the following summer It was covered
with prOfusiOn of the tree mignOnette pan
sizes. and the wild raspberry plants, which were
no where found In wild state in the neighbor-
hood; and In plantation made in Richmond
park, a number of fox gloves appeared after the
soil had been deeply trenched. The plant called
Hypeocotun procunbens was lost in the Upsal
gardens for forty years. but was accidentally
resusctated by digging the ground which it
had formerly occupied. In GlamOrganshire,
wales, crop OF barley was produced where
oats had been sown, and the farmer to whom
it belonged declared that the ground had not
seeds must have been all that time lying in a
dormant state.
About fifty years ago, when some laborers
were boring for water near Kingston-on-
Thames, earth was brought up from depth Of
$50 feet TIE earth was carefully covered over
with glass to prevent the possibility OF any other
seeds being deposited upon it, yet, in a short
time, plants began to terminate from it,
In Scotland there is an old CASTLE near Moffat,
which belonged tOthe Regent Murray. Some Of
no Ion do yx-htn oh
peat, OF about six or eight inches in thickness,
under which there Is stratum OF soil, supposed
to have been cultivated as garden in the time
of Murray. Some years ago the turf was re-
moved and the soil turned up, from which
sprang variety of flowers and plants, several
of them but little known in Scotland at that
time.
Sir Thomas Dick Lander. Bart, made some
curious and interesting experiments on the ger
mnatiOn of seeds He had friend that pos
sessed an estate. part Of which had been, for
more than sixty years, covered with sand
brought there by strong westerly winds, which
80 overwhelmed cultivated fields that the owner
was forced to abandon them altogether. Under
this sand. at the depth of eight feet. was black
soil. Some Of this black soil was taken from
under the sand. carefully avoiding any mixture
OF the latter, was instantly put in a jar and
sealed up until wanted. From the Jar this soil
was put in fiOwer-pOt flats and then placed In
Sir Thomas library. This was done on the nth
Va udi anu OU Guc OH Ol May IOlOW1QQ
the flower pots were examined and forty-sx
plants were found of four different varieties
the mouse-ear, the scorpion grass the red arch
angel and the corn-spurrey. The seeds of these
four varieties Of plants had no doubt. been bu-
ried under sand at the depth of eight feet, more
than sixty years.
Such are few cases of long vitality of seeds:
and go far to prove that soil from whatever
depth it is brought, is impregnated with seeds
which grow freely on being exposed to the infiu-
ence OF light and air.
ssBObtail Cars.,,
To the Editor Of The EVENING STAR:
Should that peevish, fretful bill now before
Congress become law 1t will work great incon-
venience and discomfort to many people. For
instance. the extra hire Of a conductor and the
cost Of an extra horse to draw a large car added
to the losses Of selling the small cars in dull
market, and the cost of new and larger cars,
may even bankrupt some OF the companies now
using the small cars and vacate the roads. ALI