586 ADDITIONAL NOTES.

docks, rumex, has been reckoned the mark of an inferior foil, aid the produdtion of thiftles, ferratula arvenfis, to be a fign of a good one; which explains a ftory in a black letter book on hufbandry, which fays,‘ A blind man went to purchafe a farm, which was of- fered to fale, and riding over the pafture land, and hearing the good- nefs of the foil much applauded by the poffeflor, at length difmount- ed, and faid to his fervant,‘ T'ie my horfe to a thiftle!”* Here are no thiftles,” replies the fervant,© but I can tie him to a dock.” € Then I will not purchafe the land,” fays he, and mounting his

horfe with a good morning to you, Sir, left the owner of the eftate

e‘ L 39 in great furprife.

ro. To be inferted at the end of Seët, XV, 3. 7.

To difcover when the feeds of herbaceous plants are ripe, as of wheat, the drynefs or ftraw-colour of the ftem is in general a good criterion; as when the ftem dies, and becomes bleached by the oxy- gen of the atmofphere, no more nutriment can be conveyed to the

mature feed. And to determine at what time to colle thofe fruits,

which never ripen on the trees in this climate, as crab-apples, and baking-pears, change of colour or fall of the leaf fhews, that they can acquire no more nourifhment, and may receive injury from the ap- proaching froft.$

But to determine when our beft or earlieft apples and pears are ripe enough to gather, that is, when they will acquire no more nu- triment from the tree, depends on a very curious circumftance of the colour of the fKin of the feeds. During the infant ftate of the fecd there is no cavity round them, but the feed is in contact with the feed: veflel, as may be feen on cutting an unripe pear or applë; and the feed'therefore is perfeétly etiolated, as it cannot part with any of

its oxygen: Afterwards when there is no more depofition of nutri-.

tious