PRESERVATION OF, in a state fit for vegetation, is a matter of great and general importance, because, if it can be accomplished, it will enable us to rear many useful plants in one country which are there unknown, being indigenous only in others at a great distance from it. There is a letter on this subject in the 16th volume of the Transactions of the Society of Arts, &c. from which we shall extract what is fit for our purpose.

"Many years ago (says the author), having observed some seeds which had got accidentally amongst raisins, and that they were such as are generally attended with difficulty to raise in England after coming in the usual way from abroad, I sowed them in pots, within a framing; and as all of them grew, I commissioned my sons, who were then abroad, to pack up all sorts of seeds they could procure in absorbent paper, and send some of them surrounded by raisins, and others by brown moist sugar; concluding that the former seeds had been preserved by a peculiarly favourable state of moisture thus afforded them. It occurred, likewise, that as many of our common seeds, such as clover, charlock, &c. would lie dormant for ages within the earth, well preserved for vegetation whenever they might happen to be thrown to the surface, and exposed to the atmosphere, so these foreign seeds might be equally preserved, for many months at least, by the kindly covering and genial moisture that either raisins or sugar afforded them; and this conjecture was really fulfilled, as not one in twenty of them failed to vegetate, when those of the same kinds, that I ordered to be sent lapped in common parcels, and forwarded with them, would not grow at all. I observed, upon examining them all before they were committed to the earth, that there was a prevailing dryness in the latter, and that the former looked fresh and healthy, and were not in the least infected by insects, as was the case with the others. It has been tried repeatedly to convey seeds (of many plants difficult to raise) closed up in bottles, but without success; some greater proportion of air, as well as a proper state of moisture, perhaps, being necessary. I should also observe, that no difference was made in the package of the seeds, respecting their being kept in husks, pods, &c. so as to give those in raisins or sugar any advantage over the others, all being sent equally guarded by their natural teguments."