[44] He refers (p. 141) to what is in principle the same experiment (see Fig. 27) as due to Mr Brotherton, and published in the _Abridgment of the Phil. Trans._ II. p. 708. [45] He notices that the swelling of the bark is connected with the presence of buds. The only ring of bark which had no bud showed no swelling. [46] It appears that Mayow made similar experiments. _Dict. Nat. Biog._ s.v. Mayow. [47] _History of Chemistry_, 1909, I. p. 69. [48] Hales made use of a rough pneumatic trough, the invention of which is usually ascribed to Priestley (Thorpe's _History of Chemistry_, I. p. 79). [49] He speaks here merely of the apples used in a certain experiment, but it is clear that he applies the conclusion to other plants. [50] _Vegetable Staticks_, p. 313. It should be noted that Hales speaks of organic as well as inorganic substances. [51] _Proc. R. Soc._ LXXII., p. 30, 1903. [52] The above account of Hales' connexion with the Royal Gardens at Kew is from the _Kew Bulletin_, 1891, p. 289. [53] I am indebted to Sir E. Thorpe for a definition of _statical_. "_Statical_ (Med.) noting the physical phenomena presented by organised bodies in contradiction to the organic or vital." (Worcester's _Dictionary_, 1889.) [54] _Arbeiten_, I. [55] Borelli, _De Motu Animalium_, Pt II. Ch. xiii. According to Sachs, _Ges. d. Botanik_, p. 582, Mariotte (1679) had suggested the same idea. [56] Nägeli, _Stärkekorner_, p. 279 [57] See his _Philosophical Experiments_, 1739. [58] _Geschichte d. Botanik_, p. 515 (free translation). JOHN HILL 1716-1775 BY T. G. HILL Narrative--chequered career--journalism--attack on the Royal Society--literary activities--Botanical works--structure of Timber--the sleep of Plants--Mimosa and Abrus--views on Pollen--Hill's _Herbal_--his admiration of Linnaeus--with qualifications--Hill's _Vegetable System_--an ambitious work--financial losses--estimate of Hill's character. It has recently been remarked that the number of the biographies of eminent men is inversely proportional to the known facts concerning them. Although this generalisation is probably incorrect, it is, to a certain extent, true of John Hill; for, although he finds a place in biographical dictionaries, apparently no extended account of his life has appeared. This is a little surprising since, apart from his scientific work, he occupied a prominent position in the middle of the eighteenth century. [Illustration: _Plate X_ JOHN HILL]