Page:History of the Royal Society.djvu/215

 the observing the apparent Places of the Planets, with a Telescope, both by Sea and Land. This has been approv'd, and begun, several of the Fellows having their Portions of the Heavens allotted to them.

They have recommended the advancing of the Manufacture of Tapestry: the improving of Silk-making: the propagating of Saffron: the melting of Lead-Oar with Pit-coal: the making Iron with Sea-coal: the using of the Dust of black Lead instead of Oil in Clocks: the making Trials on English Earths, to see if they will not yield so fine a Substance as China, for the perfecting of the Potter's Art.

They have propounded and undertaken the comparing of several Soils and Clays, for the better making of Bricks and Tiles: the Way of turning Water into Earth; the observing of the Growth of Pebbles in Waters: the making exact Experiments in the large Florentine Loadstone: the Consideration of the Bononian Stone: the examining of the Nature of petrifying Springs: the using an Umbrella Anchor, to stay a SipShip [sic] in a Storm: the Way of finding the Longitude of Places by the Moon: the Observation of the Tides about Lundy, the Southwest of Ireland, the Bermudas, and diverse parts of Scotland: and in other Seas and Rivers, where the ebbing and flowing is found to be irregular.

They have started, and begun to practise, the Propagation of Potatoes; the planting of Verjuice Grapes in England; the chymical Examination of French and English Wines; the gradual Observation of the Growth of Plants, from the first Spot of Life; the increasing of Timber, and the planting of Fruit-Trees, which they have done by spreading the Plants into many Parts of the Nation, and by publishing a Rh