Skip to content

Please be aware that some material may contain words, descriptions or illustrations which will not reflect current scientific understanding and may be considered in today's context inaccurate, unethical, offensive or distressing.

The Royal Society: Science in the Making

Unpublished letter and paper, 'Experiences et observations nouvelles sur la germination, faites a Cherbourg en 1779' ['New experiments and observations on germination, made in Cherbourg in 1779'] by [Louis] Vastel

Reference number: AP/4/18

Date: 1779-1780

Description

Vastel's paper in eight articles reports on experiments and observations on germination, including whether all cotyledons are necessary for germination in species with multiple cotyledons, whether secure cotyledons or radicles are required for germination, whether a stem can grow independently of roots, whether a radicle can grow independently of or without the plume, and whether separated cotyledons can reproduce by themselves. Preceded by an introductory letter from Vastel to an unknown recipient. The paper includes one separate plate.

Subject: Biology

Written by Vastel in Cherbourg [Normandy, France].

Reference number
AP/4/18
Earliest possible date
1779-1780
Physical description
Ink on paper
Page extent
14 pages
Format
Manuscript

Creator name

Louis Vastel

Use this record

IIIF manifest

View​ IIIF ​ manifest Opens in new tab

Open in Mirador viewer Opens in new tab

Export this record

Download PDF Opens in new tab

Citation

Louis Vastel, Unpublished letter and paper, 'Experiences et observations nouvelles sur la germination, faites a Cherbourg en 1779' ['New experiments and observations on germination, made in Cherbourg in 1779'] by [Louis] Vastel, 1779-1780, AP/4/18, The Royal Society Archives, London, https://makingscience.royalsociety.org/items/ap_4_18/unpublished-letter-and-paper-experiences-et-observations-nouvelles-sur-la-germination-faites-a-cherbourg-en-1779-new-experiments-and-observations-on-germination-made-in-cherbourg-in-1779-by-louis-vastel, accessed on 16 May 2026

Link to this record

https://makingscience.royalsociety.org/items/ap_4_18/unpublished-letter-and-paper-experiences-et-observations-nouvelles-sur-la-germination-faites-a-cherbourg-en-1779-new-experiments-and-observations-on-germination-made-in-cherbourg-in-1779-by-louis-vastel

Embed this record

<iframe src="https://makingscience.royalsociety.org/embed/items/ap_4_18/unpublished-letter-and-paper-experiences-et-observations-nouvelles-sur-la-germination-faites-a-cherbourg-en-1779-new-experiments-and-observations-on-germination-made-in-cherbourg-in-1779-by-louis-vastel" title="Unpublished letter and paper, 'Experiences et observations nouvelles sur la germination, faites a Cherbourg en 1779' ['New experiments and observations on germination, made in Cherbourg in 1779'] by [Louis] Vastel" allow="fullscreen" frameborder="0" width="100%" height="500px"></iframe>

Hierarchy

This item is part of:

Explore the collection

  • Archived Papers

    The 'Archived Papers' collection is comprised of original manuscript scientific papers and letters submitted to the Royal Society which remained unpublished or were abstracted in the journal 'Proceedings of the Royal Society' published from 1830 onwards.

    Dates: 1768 - 1989

    View collection