Natural Philosophy Collection

Aristotle’s Watering Pot

It is appropriate to illustrate Aristotle’s watering pot, another demonstration piece in Professor Patrick Copland’s repertoire about 200 years ago. The elegant japanned tin plate relic, pictured above in two views, is attributed to Copland’s own hand. Tipping up the pot while holding a thumb over the air-hole above the handle, it could be filled through the spout. With the spout then firmly bunged, water would not flow out of the perforated base even when the pot was held upright, for it was sealed below by the large surface tension of the water and sealed above by the thumb. However, with a minute movement of the thumb, water could be released at will. Professor Copland obviously enjoyed watering on a larger scale, for with the Professor of Greek, John Stuart, he jointly rented the old Marischal College garden in 1785. In 1807 Copland was elected a member of the Linnaen Society.

John S. Reid