An Account of Some Experiments, Relating to the Flowering of Tulips, Narcissus's, &c. in Winter, by Placing Their Bulbs upon Glasses of Water, Made by Mons. Triewald, Director of Mechanicks at Stockholm, and F. R. SS. of England and Sweden, and Read before the Royal Society May the 7th, 1730, as They Were Tried the Next Season by Philip Miller, F. R. S. Gardiner to the Worshipful Company of Apothecaries, at Their Botanick Garden in Chelsea

the next Winter gives me an Opportunity of reiterating those and some other Experiments. I am, with the highest Esteem and Respect, Most Honoured Sir, Stockholm, April the 4th, 1730. Your most Obedient and most Humble Servant, Fr. Triewald. VI. An Account of some Experiments, relating to the Flowering of Tulips, Narcissus's, &c. in Winter, by placing their Bulbs upon Glasses of Water, made by Mons. Triewald, Director of Mechanicks at Stockholm, and F. R. SS. of England and Sweden, and read before the Royal Society May the 7th, 1730, as they were tried the next Season by Philip Miller, F. R. S. Gardiner to the worshipful Company of Apothecaries, at their Botanick Garden in Chelsea. The Glasses marked Numb. x, were Roots of a Hyacinth, commonly known by the Name of Pulchra. Numb. 2. were Roots of the common Oriental blue Hyacinth. The Flowers of these were not not so large as they are commonly produced when planted in a Bed of Earth; but this was occasioned by the Bulbs dividing into several Off-sets, each of which are as so many different small Roots, sending forth Stems and Leaves. Numb. 3, was a Bulb of a Tulip, which though placed on the Glass of Water at the same Time as the Hyacinths, yet was not likely to flower in a Month. Numb. 4, was a Root of Narcissus. This was also as backward as the Tulip, though put upon the Water at the same Time with the Hyacinths. These Roots were placed upon the Glasses the Beginning of November last; at which Time I put them into a Green-House, where the Air was kept constantly in a temperate Warmth. The Glasses were filled with common Thames Water, so near to the Top, that when the Bulbs were placed upon the Glasses, it might be about a quarter of an Inch below the Bottom of the Bulbs. Into those Glasses marked Numb. 5, I put a small Quantity of common Garden Mould, to try whether that would forward their Flowering, or encrease their Strength: But I found that all the Roots which were placed on those Glasses, into which the Earth was put, were at least a Fortnight later than the others before their Fibres were emitted, and their Progress has been since much slower. I also observed that the Water, in those Glasses where the Earth was put, did not waste above half so fast, as it did in those Glasses where there was none; which, I conceive, might be occasioned by the terrestrial Matter mixing with the Water, and so rendering it thicker, and less capable of being attracted by the Plants, or evaporating by the Heat. And from those Glasses, where the Bulbs... Bulbs did not exactly cover their Necks, the Water evaporated much faster than from those where the Bulbs did entirely cover the Tops of the Glasses, so as to leave no Vacuities round them. In about a Month after the Roots were put upon the Glasses of Water they began to put out their Fibres into the Water; but they did not begin to put forth their Leaves, until their Fibres were extended all over the Glasses, and were almost as full grown as at present. When their Leaves began to appear, the Buds of the Hyacinth-Flowers were soon visible, and in about three Weeks Time were fully blown. The Tulips and Narcissus's being much backwarde than the Hyacinths (as they always are when planted in a Garden) these should always be placed upon the Glasses of Water six Weeks or two Months earlier in the Season than the Hyacinths, when they are designed to flower at the same Time; and the Praecoes (or early blowing) Tulips should always be chosen for this Purpose. By this Method a Person who has not a Garden, may have some of these Flowers growing in his Chambers, where, if they are not kept too close from the Air, or in a Place too warm, they will flower almost as well as in a Bed of Earth, provided the Roots are good, and are every Year renewed; especially the Tulips, because they every Year do form new Bulbs, the old ones being always exhausted in nourishing the Leaves and Flowers, a new Bulb is annually produced by the Side of the Flower-stem. The Hyacinths I have observed to flower two Years successively upon Glasses of Water; but their Flowers were very weak the second Year. So that it is much the better Way to have fresh Roots every Year. I am with the greatest Respect, GENTLEMEN, Chelsea, Feb. 4th, 1739. Your most Obedient Associate, PHILIP MILLER. VII. A Letter from T. Madden, M. D. of Dublin, to Cromwell Mortimer, M. D. R. S. Secr. giving an Account of two Women being poisoned by the Simple Distilled Water of Laurel-Leaves, and of several Experiments upon Dogs; by which it appears that this Laurel-Water is one of the most Dangerous Poisons hitherto known. SIR, A Very extraordinary Accident that fell out here some Months ago, has discovered to us a most dangerous Poison, which was never before known to be so, though it has been in frequent Use among us. The Thing I mean is a Simple Water, distilled from the Leaves of the Lauro-cerasus. The Water is at first