A Letter from Martin Triewald, F. R. S. Captain of Mechanics, and Military Architect to the King of Sweden, to C. Mortimer, M. D. Sec. R. S. concerning the Vegetation of Melon-Seeds Forty-Two Years Old

IV. A Letter from Martin Triewald, F. R. S. Captain of Mechanics, and Military Architect to the King of Sweden, to C. Mortimer, M.D. Sec. R. S. concerning the Vegetation of Melon-Seeds Forty-two Years old. SIR, HAVING at present an Opportunity of writing, I must acquaint you with an Experiment I made this Year, relating to Vegetation, which was as follows: Secretary Hæreus, of this Place, having a large Collection of Natural Curiosities, amongst which he has likewise collected a great Number of foreign Seeds, and finding he had Melon-seeds that were laid up in a Paper in the Year 1700. I was curious to try if they had retained their vegetative Quality, and accordingly the 21st of February last, I planted myself Twenty-four of them in a separate Hot-bed, of which I had Twenty-one good Plants, which, after they were planted in a new-made Hot-bed, shewed Flowers before they began to branch themselves, and their Branches were very narrow, yet produced early and plenty of good Melons. This Experiment shews not only how long Melon-seeds retain their vegetative Quality, but likewise that good Melon-seeds cannot well be too old. I know it is no new thing to make use of old Melon-seeds rather than new, but I never heard of any body trying so old as these. So if you think this Experiment worth taking Notice tice of in the Transactions, shall be obliged to you, remaining, with infinite Respect, Honoured Sir, Your most obedient, and most humble Servant, M. Triewald, F. R. S. Stockholm, Nov. 16. 1741. V. Samuelis Christiani Hollmanni, Leg. Met. & Theol. Natural. in Regia Georgia Augusta, P. P. O. ad Cromwellum Mortimerum, M. D. Regalis Societ. Secr. Epistola de Differentiis Altitudinum Barometrorum. Facile te veniam daturum spero, vir doctissime, quod ad humanissimas tuas, Id. Aug. A. 1735. Lond. datas, recteque mihi suo tempore redditas, nihil adhuc responderim. Defuit occasio, justa etiam defuit scribendi ratio, quam nunc casus mihi obtulit. Eram nuper mense Julio hujus anni in eo, ut cum Clar. Hallero nostro in finitima Hercyniae nostrae montes iter aliquod susciperem; ille quidem rei botanicae, ego physicarum potissimum observationum, causa. Barometrum ergo aliquod inter alia parabam, quo in via uti commode possim ad instituenda experimenta. Scalam ascensus descensusque mercurii, ipsi applicandum, in pedis Rhenani digitos, & lineas duodecimales, more solito, a 20mo ad 32dum digitum solicite diviseram.