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The Royal Society: Science in the Making

Unpublished paper, 'An experimental inquiry undertaken with the view of ascertaining whether any and what influence is exerted by magnetic force over plants during vegetation' by [Henry Foster Baxter]

Reference number: AP/80/2

Date: 1848-1856

Description

Baxter writes: 'As it may be considered a law in vegetable physiology, that all plants have a tendency to develop in two diametrically opposite directions, as shewn by the root and stem, the question arose might not this direction be influenced or created by subjecting the seeds, whilst germinating, to the influence of constant and powerful magnetic forces?' He presents the results of a series of experiments, concluding that 'no fact was observed which would indicate that magnetic force had any influence over plants during vegetation.'

Subject: Biology / Magnetism

A similar paper by Baxter was abstracted in volume 6 of the Proceedings of the Royal Society as 'An experimental inquiry undertaken with the view of ascertaining whether any signs of current electricity are manifested in plants during vegetation'.

Reference number
AP/80/2
Earliest possible date
1848-1856
Physical description
Booklet with marbled cover
Page extent
14 pages
Format
Manuscript

Creator name

Henry Foster Baxter

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Citation

Henry Foster Baxter, Unpublished paper, 'An experimental inquiry undertaken with the view of ascertaining whether any and what influence is exerted by magnetic force over plants during vegetation' by [Henry Foster Baxter], 1848-1856, AP/80/2, The Royal Society Archives, London, https://makingscience.royalsociety.org/items/ap_80_2/unpublished-paper-an-experimental-inquiry-undertaken-with-the-view-of-ascertaining-whether-any-and-what-influence-is-exerted-by-magnetic-force-over-plants-during-vegetation-by-henry-foster-baxter, accessed on 15 January 2025

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https://makingscience.royalsociety.org/items/ap_80_2/unpublished-paper-an-experimental-inquiry-undertaken-with-the-view-of-ascertaining-whether-any-and-what-influence-is-exerted-by-magnetic-force-over-plants-during-vegetation-by-henry-foster-baxter

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  • Archived Papers

    Dates: 1768-1989

    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.

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