Luke Howard

“ I prefer this method of accounting for the appearances that take place when the pollen is immersed in spirit to another that might be supposed on chemical principles, being assured, that any one who has once inspected the process will be satisfied that something more than mere solution or chemical decomposition takes place therein, and that the vital principle of the pollen is the chief agent.
The liquor from the tube of the pistil and the solution of sugar were, indeed, found to bring on the evolution of the pollen of Cactus flagel. in slower manner than spirit ”

“ When saturated with water they remain at the bottom, clear as the liquid itself, and all alike distended to a bulk many times greater than their original one in the dry state. They are now seen to the multilocular capsules, having septa in various directions within them, the union of which with the external membrane appears at the angles in the dry state, and at the depressed lines in the wet. ”

“ The proper spirit for this purpose seems to be a mixture of one part pure spirit of wine with two of water. A stronger spirit, or even spirit of wine alone, may sometimes be required when we operate upon a pollen which has, by any means, became previously saturated with moisture, (or has lost, by keeping, a part of its irritability?) but it does not enter the dry grains fo readily as water alone. ”

“ As they approach to complete expansion the motion dies away, and one after another finks to the bottom.
"By a small addition of fresh brandy some few are excited a second time, but with fainter movements. ”