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The Royal Society: Science in the Making

Unpublished translation, 'Account of a strange blight' by unknown author

Reference number: AP/5/3

Date: 1783

Description

The author describes an instance around 24 June [1783?] in which all the trees and plants around his town in Schleswig-Holstein, Germany appeared as if they were frostbitten. The author describes the effect this had on trees in the forest, including larches, firs, Weymouth pines, junipers, birches, walnuts, cherries, plums, elms, oaks, beeches, aspens, and poplars. The author determined that the blight was likely caused by a singeing flame or a phlogiston. Corrections appear in ink throughout.

This is a partial translation of the account written in German found at AP/5/4.

Subject: Botany

Reference number
AP/5/3
Earliest possible date
1783
Physical description
Ink on paper
Page extent
4 pages
Format
Manuscript

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Citation

Unpublished translation, 'Account of a strange blight' by unknown author, 1783, AP/5/3, The Royal Society Archives, London, https://makingscience.royalsociety.org/items/ap_5_3/unpublished-translation-account-of-a-strange-blight-by-unknown-author, accessed on 15 April 2026

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is comprised of original manuscript scientific papers and letters submitted to the Royal Society which remained unpublished or were abstracted in the journal 'Proceedings of the Royal Society' published from 1830 onwards.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

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