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Show VE # r, which are called the Seed-roots, into the Radicle ¢ z d, which Radicle, whenit is thus fhot fome Length into the Ground, does then imbibe Nourifhment from thence ; and after it has acquir’d fufficient Strength, as this tender duétile Root is extending from z to ¢, it mutt neceflarily carry the expanding Seed-lobes upwards, at the fame Time that the dilating from z to d makes it fhoot downwards; and when the Root is thus far grown, it fupplies the Plume 2 with Nourifhment ; which thereby fwelling and extending, opens the Lobes a 7, ar, which are at the fame time raifed above Ground, with the Plume i, where they, by expanding and growing thinner, turn to green es (except the Seeds of the Pulfe Kind) ; which Leaves are of fuch Importance to the yet tender Plume, that it perifhes, or will not thrive if they are pulled off; which makesit probable, that they do the fame Office to the Plume, that the Leaves adjoining to Apples, Quinces, and other Fruit do to them, viz. they draw Sap within the Reach of their At- traction, (fee Exper. 8, 30.); but when the Plume is fo far advane’d in Growth, as to have Branches and expanded Leaves to draw up Nourifhment, then thefe fupplemental, feminal Leaves ar, ar, being of no farther Ufe, do perifh; not only becaufe the now grown and more expanded Leaves of the young Plant or Tree do fo overfhade the fupplemental Leaves, hat the former more plentiful Perfpiration is VE Sothe Cafe is the very fame in the Branches of a Tree, which ufually making an Angle of about 45 Degrees with the Stem of the Tree, do thereby beautifully fill up, at equal and proper Diftances, the Space betweenthe lower Branches and the-'Top of the Tree, forming thereby, as it were, a parabolical Grove or Thicket; which fhading the Arms, the {mall lateral Shoots of thofe Armsufually perifh, for want of due Perfpiration; and therefore the Armscontinue naked, like the Bodies of Trees ina Grove, all the Nourifhment being drawn up to the Tops of the feveral Branches by the Leaves, which are there expos’d to the warm Sun, and free drying Air, whereby the Branches of Trees expand much. And where the lateral Branches are very vigorous, fo as to make ftrong Shoots, and attract the Nourifhment plentifully, there the Tree ufually abates of its Height, as in Groves, there commonly its lateral Branches being fmalleft: So that we may look upon a Tree as a complicated Engine, which has as many different Powers as it has Arms and Branches, each drawing from their commonFountainof Life, the Root ; and the whole ofeach yearly Growth of the Tree, will be proportionable to their attracting Powers, and the Quantityof Nourifhment the Root affords. But this attracting Power or Nourifhment will be more or lefs, according to the different Ages of the Tree, and the moreor lef{s kindly Seafons of much abated; and thereby not only their the Year. Power of attracting Sap fails, but alfo becaufe And the proportional Growth of their latethe Sap isdrawn from them by the Leaves; and they being thus depriv’d of Nourifhment, do perifh. As the Tree advancesin Stature, the firft, fecond, third, and fourth Order ofthe lateral Branches fhoot out, each lower Order being longer than thofe immediately above them ; not onlyon the account of Primogeniture, but alfo becaufe being inferted in larger Parts of the Trunk, and nearer the Root, they have the Advantage of being fery’d with greater Plenty of Sap, whence arifes the beautiful parabolical Figure of the Tree. But when Trees ftand thick together in Woods or Groves, then their natural Shape is altered; becaufe the lower natural Branches being much fhaded, they can perfpirelittle ; and therefore drawinglittle Nourifhment, they perifh; but the top Branches being expos’d to a free, drying Air, they perfpireplentifully ; and thereby drawing the Sap to the Top, they ral and top Branches,inrelation to eachother, will much depend on the Difference of their feveral attracting Powers. If the Perfpiration and Attraétion of the lateral Branches is little or nothing, as in Woods or Groves, then the top Branches will mightily prevail; but when in a free open Air, the Perfpiration and Attraction ot the lateral Branches come nearer to an Equality with that of the Top, then is the afpiring of the top Branches greatly check’d. And the Cafe is the fame in moft other Vegetables, which, when they ftand thick together, grow much in Length, with very weak, lateral Shoots, j And as the Leaves are thusferviceable in promoting the Growth of a Tree, we may obferve, that Nature has plac’d the Petals or Leave-ftalks where moft Nourifhment 1s wanting to produce Leaves, Shoots, and Fruit; and fome fuch thin, leafy Expanfions, which advance much in Height. But, vice ver/d, may be call’d primary Leaves, that jerve t0 if when fuch Grove oftall Trees is cut down, there be left here and there a fingle Tree, that Tree will then fhoot out lateral Branches, the Leaves of which Branches now perfpiring freely, will attraa& Plenty of Sap; on which account, the Top being depriv’d of its Nou- protect and draw Nourifhment to the you! Shoots and Leaf-buds, before the Leat it! is expanded. ; And herein we fee the admirable Co vance of the Author of Nature, in adapt! her different Ways of conveying Nourifh rifhment, it ufuallydies, to the different Circumftances of her Pr And as Trees in a Grove or Wood grow dudtions. For in this Embryo State of the only in Length, becaufe all the Nourifhment Buds, a fuitable Provifion is made to bring is by the Leaves drawn to the Top, mott of Nourifhment to them, in a Quantity th the fimall, thaded, lateral Branches, in the fufficient for their then fmal] Demanas. meantime perifhing for want of Perfp iration when they are in fome D nc and Nutrition ; formed, a muchgreater Quai VE VE ment is neceflary, in proportion to their Azaly/is of Vegetable Nature, to the firtt ex greater Increafe: Nature, that fhe may no livening Principle oftheir minutett Origin. 3 Jonger fupply with a fcanty Hand, immediately changes her Method, in order to convey VEGETATION, is the A@ whereby Nourifhment with a more liberal Hand to her Productions ; which Supply daily increafes by the greater Expanfion of the Leaves, and confequently the more plentiful Attraction and Supply of Sap, as the greater Growth and Demandofit increafes. __We find a much moreelaborate and _beautiful Apparatus for the like Purpofe, in the Plants receive Nourifhment, and erow: The Word is deriv’d from the Latin, vegeto to quicken, to refrelh, to makelively and jirong andfignifies the Way of Growth, or Increafe of Bulk, Parts and Dimenfions proper to all Trees, Shrubs, Plants, Herbs, Minerals, &c. To underftand the Procefs of Nature in the Bufinefs of Vegetation, it is to be confider’d, curious Expanfions of Bloffoms and Flowers, which feem to be appointed by Nature, not only to protect, but alfo to draw and convey that there is in Vegetables a Principle of Life ; andthis is differently feated. Acertain Author fays, Generally {peaking, minute feminal Tree, furnifh’d with its Secon- moft of the Seminiferous Tribe: for if the Oak may, in that State, be look’d upon as a compleat Ege of the Tree, yet in Embryo) then Body of it be cut down near that Place, it is odds if ever it fhoots again, or at leaft a Nourifhment to the Embryo; Fruit, and this Principle of Life is feated exactly between Seeds. But as foon as the Calix is form’d the Trunk and the Root; andthis is obinto a fmall Fruit, now impregnated, with its ferv’d to be the Place of its Pofition, in all or dine, Chorion, and Amnion (which new-fet Fruit the Blofiom falls off; leaving the new-form’d be included in that general Title, and the to any Purpofe. Egg, or firft-fet Fruit in this infant State, to In fome Plants it is only the Roots; fo imbibe Nourifhment fufficient for itfelf and that Jet them be cut into as many Pieces as the Fetus, with which it is impregnated; reafonably may be, if thefe Piecés are but which Nourifhment is brought ‘within the planted in the Ground, they quickly grow; Reach and Powerofits Suction by the ad- as is feen in the Elm, &c. and in abundance joining Leaves. of edible Roots and Flowers. If I maybe allow’d to indulge Conjecture, (in a Cafe, in which the moft. diligent In- quirers are, as yet, after all their laudable Re- In fome, it is feated both in the Roots, and all over the Trunk and Branches; as, in the Vimineous or Willow Kinds; which, if they fearches, advancedbut little farther than mere Conjecture) I would propofe it to theif Con- be cut into a thoufand Pieces, it is fearce potfible to deftroy or kill them, unlefs they are fideration, whether from the manifeft Proof fplit in the Middle; and fearcely then: forif we have, that Sulphur ftrongly attracts Air, a Hint may not be taken toconfider, whether this may not be the primary Ufe of the J 2 Fecundans, to attract and unite you plant them in the Earth but the Length of three or four Inches, either the Roots or Branches will certainly grow again. In fome, it is feated intirely in the Body, with it felf, elaftick or other refin’d ative Branches, or Leaves; and of this Kind are Principles. many of the That this Farina abounds with Sulphur, Exotick Plants, which being of a fucculent Nature, if the Trunkor Branches, and that avery refin’d Sort, is probable, from or the Leaves and Stems the fubtil Oil, which Chymifts obtain from the Chives of Saffron. Andif this be the Ground, they will ftrike Root immediately, and grow; as in the Cereus’s, Ficoides’s, &c. be put into the Ufe ofit, was it poffible that it could be more nay, fo ftrong is the Principle of Life in this aptly placed for the Purpofe on very move- KindofPlants, that if they be hung up acon a ices, fixed on the flender Points of the fiderable Time without any Earth, Water, whereby it might eafily, with the &c. they will maintain their natural Verdure, Jeaft Breath of. Wind, be difpers’d in the Air andalfo this Principle of Life admirably, by thereby furrounding the Plant, as it were, their fucculent Quality. with an Atmofphere of fublim’d fulphureous The Ufe of this Principle of Life, is acPounce? for many Trees and Plants abound counted to be for the Concoétion of the indi- with it: They may be, perhaps, infpired at gefted Salts, which afcend through the Roots, feveral Parts of the Plant, and efpecially at where they are fuppofed to affimilate the Na- the P Cap/ ture of the Tree they are helping to form; tho’ perhaps the Root may likewife affift in m, and be thence convey’d to the é , efpecially towards the Even-- g3; ing and in the Night, when the beautiful Petala of the Flowers are clos’d up, and they, the W ork. | f : i ata Thefe Things being. prefuppos’d, in with all the other Parts of the Vegetable, are Spring of the Year, as {oon as the Sun begins ina ftrongly imbibing State. Andif to thefe united fulphureous and aerial to warm the Earth, and the Rains do mele the latent Salts, the wink: Work of / the we fuppofe fome Particles of Light icles, to be join’d, (for Sir J/zac Newton has found, tian is fet on foot ; then the emulgent F ores for Food, which has been prepar’d as fe that Sulphur attraéts Light ftrongly) then the Refi thefe three, by far the moft active _ i * les in Nature, will.be a Pu igorate the feminal Pla at laft conducted, by the r aforefaid.1 Ic is very . Part of the during the Lands there + : . 8 aM : rational to fuppofe, that a great " > e 5 Roots are form d under-ground Winter Seafon5 becaufe in all is always an innate Heat, which feem |