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Show The AmatomyaBookI\Vi the other Two ftraight, a little hollowd, and having a {mall pinacle ra bi 5 TER of Stechas Arabica, as the former, faving, that the Ebalas onak and the Bafé floaped into a little Triangle. That of Wartwort or Sun-Spurge, hath a very complex Figure. The Belly con- fifteth of two Planiconick Sides, as the former 5 the Back, Sphericonick. The whole Seed, in a manner, Conick-oval. Yet the Bafe and Head both flat. Inthe midle of the former, a Peg by which the Seed is fattned ; and of the latter, a poynted Kwob. The midle of the Belly- Sides, hollowed, fo as to make a flat Rimof equal Bredth; and the hollowsfilled up with Bladders like thofe in all the Parenchymus Parts of a Plant. : at. §. Laftly, there are fome Seeds which are {quare. Whereof fomeare ftraight, as that of Fox-glove 5 which hath alfo an even Sur- face: And that of Blattaria, in which there are feveral little hollows in even Rows. Andfo in Brounmort. 22. §. And fome Convex, as that of Chryfanthemum Americ. “Tis Quadrati-conick, or fquare and fharp at the Ba/e, and big at the Head. The Sides all plains and a thin Risa erected upon every Azgle. As alfo on the four Sides of the Head, which is flat, with a little Piwacle in the midle. : 23. §. The Seedalfo of Tanfey, is a Conick and bended fquare not with the Avgle forward, as the former, but the Side. And in the place of every Rim, hatha round Ridge. Somewhatliketo this, are thofe of Febrifuga, Mayweed, and fome others. Thus far of the Fi- gures of Seeds. Book IV. of Seeds. 2. g. Soin Typha major, the Seeds being blow’n off and low’n (as the Eggs of many Fihes fpawn'd_) with great hazard, they are {trangely numerous, For as theyftand altogether uponthe SpiLe, they make a Cylinder at leaft fix Inches long, and near {*s of an Inch in Di- ametre, or anInch and 3 about. Now9 of thefe seeds, fet fide to fide, as they ftand onthe Spike, make but 3h of anInch; fo that 72 make a line of an Inch in-Length. But becaufe upon the spike, the Hairs belonging to the Seeds come between them; wewill abate 10, and count but 62. To which 3ths of 62, that is ( without the Fraétion ) 46. being added, makes 108 for the Circuit of the Cylinder, And the Cylinder being fix Inches long, there are fix times 62, that is, 372, for a Line the length of the Cylizder. Which number being multiplied by 108, produceth 40176 the number ofSeeds which ftand upon one Stalk and fo, uponthree Stalks, which one P/znt common- ly bears, there are in one year, above a hundred and twenty Thoufand Seeds. 3. §. SO SOON asthe Seedis ripe, Nature taketh feveral azetheds forits being duly fow’n : notonly in the opening of the Uterus, as in fome Inftances (2) hath already been feen but alfo in the make (2) P. 32 ofthe Seedit {elf For Firft, the Seeds of many Plants, which affect Ch. 5. Tub, a peculiar So# or Seat, as of Arum, Poppy, &c. are heavy and {mall 70, & 71. enough, without further care, to fall direétly down into the Ground: and fo to grow in the fame place where themfélves had their Birth. 4. §. But if they are fo large andlight, as to be expofed to the wind, they are often furnifhed with one or more Hooks ; To {tay them from ftraying overfar from their proper place, till by thefall ofLecos or otherwife, theyare fafely lodged. So the Seeds of Avsis have one fingle Hook, thole of Agrimony and Goofe-grafi, ‘many ; boththefor- Tab. 72; mer, loving a Bazk for warmth, the latter, a Hedge forits fupport. 5. §. Onthe contrary, many Seeds are farnifhed with Wings or Feathers, Partly, with the help of the Wind to carry them, when CoHGA Poudk TI. they are ripe, fromoff the Plant, as thofe of Ab, Maple, Orach, &c. Of the NUMBER and MOTIONS of Seeds. wml, § TURE hath fecured the Propagation of Planis a (, feveral ways,but chiefly by the Seed: for the Proue \¢< duétion of which, the Root, Leaves, Flower, and Fruit, doall officiate, as hath been fhewed. And £ according as the Plant, or the Sced it bears, is more liable to be deftroyed, Provifion is made for Propogation, either by a greater number of Seeds, So the Seeds of Stramberry, being gathered, or eaten by Fermin, with the Fruit 5 the Plantis thereforeeafily propagated by Lvunk-Roots. So Poppy, being an annual Plant, is highly prolifick : for inftance, the White Poppy which commonly bears about four mature Heads, in each of which, there are at leaft ten Partitions, on both eof, the seeds grow 5 and upon 3h part of one fide, about Too Seeds 5 that is, 800 on one Partition: which being multiplied by to (the number of Partitions ) makes 8000; and 8000 again by 4 (the number of Heads) makes 32000 Seeds, the yearly product of that Plant. a. £ lea{t ftaying thereon too Jong, they fhould either be corrupted, or mifstheir fcafon. And partly, to enable them to make their flight, moreor lefs, abroad: that fo they may not, byfalling together, come Up too thick 5 and that if one fhouldmifs a good Soy! or Bed, another may hit. So the Kervels of Pine have wings not unlike to thofe of fome Infeds 5 yet very fhort, in refpe&t of the weight of the Seed; Tab. 72. whereby they flye not in the Aer, but like domeftick Fowls, only flutter upon the Ground. But thofe of Typha, Dandelion and moft of the Pappous kind, with many more, have verylong and numerous Feathers, by which they are wafted every way, and to any diftance neceflary for the aforefaid purpofes. 6. §. Again, there are fome Seeds, which are fcattered not by flying abroad, but by being cither Spurted, or Shing away. The firlt are thofe of Woodforrel; which having a running Root, Naturefees it fit to fow the Seeds at fome diftance. The doing of whichis effected by a white thick and fturdy Cover of a Tendizous or Springy Nature, in Tbe which the Seed lies within the Ca/é. This Cover, fo foonas it begins to drye, burfts open on one fide, in an inftant, andis violently turned infide outward, a8 you would turn the Gizard of a Fowl; and fo fmartly throws off the Seed. 7. $s 3 |
