| Description | ' Mersennus his account of the tenacity of Cylindricall bodies was read by Mr Croone, to whome the prosecution of that matter by consulting Galileo was referred, when the translation of that Italian treatise wherein he handleth of this Subject, shall bee printed.
It was orderd, that, at the next meeting, Experiments should bee made with wires of severall matters of the same size, silver, copper, iron etc to see what weight will breake them; the Curatour is Mr Croone.
The reading of the french Manuscript brought in by Sir Robert Moray about taking heights and distances by Catoptricks was differed, till the description of the instrument should come.
Dr Goddard made an Experiment concerning the force that presseth the aire into lesse dimensions; and it was found, that twelve ounces did contract 1/24 part of Aire. The quantity of Air is wanting.
My Lord Brouncker was desired to send his Glasse to Dr Goddard, to make further experiments about the force of pressing the aire into lesse dimensions.
Dr Wren was put in mind to prosecute Mr Rook's observatrions concerning the motions of the Satellites of Jupiter.
Dr Charleton read an Essay of his, concerning the velocity of sounds, sirect and reflexe, and was desired to prosecute this matter ; and to bring his discourse again nest day to bee enterd.
Dr Goddard made the Experiment to shew how much aire a man's lungs may hold, by sucking up water into a separating glasse after the lungs have been well emptied of Aire. Severall persons of the Society trying it, some sucked up in one suction about three pintes of water, one six another eight pintes and three quarters etc. Here was observed the variety of whistles or tones, which the water made at the severall hights, in falling outof the glasse again.
Mr Evelyn's Experiment was brought in of Animal engrafting and in particular of making a Cock spur grow on a Cock's head. [In margin; vicet in Lib.2. fol. 34]
It was discoursed whether there bee any such thing as sexes in trees and other plants; some instances were brought of Palme trees, plum-trees, hollies, Ash trees, Quines, pionies, etc: wherein a difference was said to be found, either in their bearing of fruit or in their hardnesse and softness, or in their medicall operations : some said that the difference, which is in trees as to fertility or sterility, may bee made by ingrafting.
Mention was made by Sir Rob : Moray of a French Gentleman who having been some while since in England, and present at a meeting of the Society, discoursed that the nature of all trees was to run altogether to wood: which was changed by a certaine way of cutting them, whereby they were made against their nature to beare fruit, and that according as this cutting was done, with more or lesse skill, the more or lesse fruitfull the tree would bee.
A proposition was offered by Sir Robert Moray about the planting of Timber in England, and the preserving of what is now growing.
Mr Boyle shewd a Puppey in a certiane liquour, wherein it had been preserved during all the hot months of the Summer, though in a broken and unsealed glasse.
Sir James Shaen proposed a Candidate by Sir Rob: Moray. '
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