A Letter from Mr. Joseph Hobson to Mr. Peter Collinson, F. R. S concerning the Wonderful Increase of the Seeds of Plants, e.g. of the Upright Mallow

The rest of this Treatise consists in divers Calculations and Tables of Interest, and the Value of Annuities for Life on different Ages and Interest; and concludes with an Explanation of the same, and the Usefulness thereof. London, Jan. 27. 1742. IV. A Letter from Mr. Joseph Hobson to Mr. Peter Collinson, F. R. S concerning the wonderful Increase of the Seeds of Plants, e.g. of the Upright Mallow. Respected Friend, When thou wast so kind as to oblige me with shewing thy curious Collection of Rarities, amongst other things there was, I think, an Ear of Guinea Corn, remarkable, as thou well observedst, for its large Number of Grains: Remembering this, and observing here a large Plant of the common Upright Mallow, which I thought must have a large Number of Seeds; I had the Curiosity to count them, and have presumed, on the Slenderness of our Acquaintance, to send thee an Account thereof; and shall be glad, if the Trifle be in any degree acceptable; as follows, viz. The Seeds being disposed in Rings, I counted those which were upon the principal Stems, and there were upon First. Rings. | | | |---|---| | 1 | 1100. | | 2 | 1058. | | 3 | 888. | | 4 | 874. | | 5 | 753. | | 6 | 744. | | 7 | 732. | | 8 | 587. | | 9 | 466. | | 10 | 465. | | 11 | 378. | | 12 | 355. | | 13 | 344. | | 14 | 341. | | 15 | 210. | | 16 | 180. | Upon many odd small Stems 724. Rings in all 10199. Multiply by Seeds in one Ring 12 Seeds. Number of Seeds 122388. Allow for Two large Stems destroyed 7612. Seeds in all 130000. I then counted the Seeds in several particular Rings, and found them commonly 14 in each, but have confined myself to multiply the Rings by 12, which is moderate, yet makes the Number of Seeds amount to 150000, allowing 7612 Seeds for Two large Stems cut down and destroyed, a moderate Allowance. ance, considering Two of the Stems alone contain each above 1000 Rings: Some of these Stems were above Two Yards and an half high. I have to add, that this Plant was a Seedling last Year, transplanted out of the Fields on the End of a sloping Strawberry-bed; and I counted the Rings in the Middle of last July, when it had Thousands of Flowers upon it, which, with Thousands that must still succeed, might very probably produce more than 50000 Seeds* more, considering 1000 Rings contain 12000 Seeds and more; and if we multiply the Number of Rings actually counted, by 14, the Number of Seeds contained in one Ring, instead of 12, we shall have an Addition of 20000 Seeds, all which, added together, amount to 200000, the possible Increase of one Seed. Macclesfield, Sept. 1. 1742. Joseph Hobson. V. Excerpta ex Epistola Cl. Viri Joh. Ambrosii Beureri ad Petr. Collinson, R. S. S. de natura Succini. ** Read Jan. 27. 1742-3. De Succino non solum negative, sed etiam affirmative, hæc est Sententia mea: Succinum vel Ambram citrinam succum esse arborum resinosum nego & pernego, ob sequentes ratiunculas. Primum mihi non verisimile videtur istum succinum per terram transire in mare: nam * Even supposing many of the Flowers to produce no Seed.