172 The Anatomy Book IV. 
the Separation of fome Parts, as well as the Affifion of others. The fun 
therefore of my Thoughts concerning this Matter, is as follows. 
5. $. And Firft, it feems, That the Attire ferves to difcharge fi 
redundant Part of the Sap, as a Work preparatory to the Generation 
the Seed. In particular, that as the Foliature ferveth to carry off the 
latile Saline Sulphur : So the Aitire,to minorate and adjult the Aercals to 
the end, the Seed may become the more Oyly, and its Principles, the 
better fixed. And therefore the Foliatire generally hath a much 
fironger Odour, than the Ative : becaufe the Saline Sulphur is ftronger, 
than an Aerial, which is too fübtile to affe&t the Senfe. Hence alfo it is, 
that the Colour of the Parts of the Attire, is ufually Whiteor Yellom,ne 
ver Red: the former, depending upon a greater participation of Aer 5 
the latter, of Sulphur, Tadd further, That the moft Volatile and Aeri- 
al Sulphur 5 being by means of thefe Parts much difcharged 5 it may g’ 
hereby come to país, not only that the Seed is more Oylie,and its Princi- 
ples more fixed ; but alfo, that the Body or Parenchyma thereof, is fo E 
compaét and clofe: For although it confifts of Bladders, yet fach, as 
are Twenty times {maller than in any other Part of a Plant of the like 
bigneß. Whereas, were the Aer copioufly mixed with the Sap here, 
asin the Pith, Fruit, and other Parenchymous Parts; it would give fo 
quick a Ferment to the Sap, as to dilate and amplify the Bladders of 
the seed,beyond its prefent compat and durable Texture ; and fo expofe 
it, either to a precipitant Growth, or fudden Rot. Wherefore, as 
the Seed-Cafe is the Womb ; fo the Attire (which always ftands upon 
or round about it ) and thofe Parts of the Sap herinto difcharged 5 | 
are, asit were, the Menfes or Flowers, by which the Sap in the Womb, 
is duly qualified, for the approaching Generation of the Seed, 
6. $. And as the young and carly Attire before it opens, anfwers 
to the enfes in the Femal : fo is it probable, that afterward when it 
opens or cracks, it performs the Office of the Male. This is hinted from 
the Shape of the Parts. For in the Florid Attire, the Blade doth not 
unaptly refemble a fmall Penis, with the Sheath upon it, as its Preputi- 
um. And in the Seed-like Aire, the feveral Thece, are like fo many 
little Tefticles. And the Globulets and other fmall Particles upon the 
Blade or Penis, and inthe Thece, are as the Vegetable Sperme. Which, 
fo foon as the Penis is exerted, or the Tefficles come to break, falls 
down upon the secd-Caje or Womb, and fo Touches it with a Proli- 
fick Virtue. 
7. 5. Confentancous hereto it is alfo obfervable, That thofe Herbs 
y have the Seed-like Attire,which either produce a greater Quan- 
ti Seed, ora Perennial Root : and that there is no Tree, with the 
Florid Attire. Asif the other, becaufe it contains a far greater Pro- 
portion of the abovefaid Particles, that is, of Sperm; ‘tis able to beget 
amore Numerous, Vivaceous, or Gigantich Birth. 
8. $.. That the fame Plant is both Male and Female, may the ra- 
ig ther be believed, in that Swails, and fome other Animals, are fuch. 
And the Parts which imitatethe Menfes, and the Sperz, are not pre- 
cifely the fame: the former, being the External Parts of the Attire, and 
the Sup, which feeds them ; the latter, the {mall Particles or moyk 
Powder which the External inclofe, 
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