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The PREFACE. 



iv 



As the art of Thyfick has of late years been 

 much improved by a greater knowledge of the 

 animal oeconomy -,fo doubt lefs a farther infight 

 into the vegetable ceconomy mufl needs pro- 

 portionably improve our skill in Agriculture 

 and Gardening, which gives me reafon to 

 hope, that inquiries of this kind will be ac- 

 ceptable to many, who are intent upon impro- 

 ving thofe innocent, delightful, and beneficial 

 Arts : Since they cannot be infenfible that the 

 7noft rational ground for Succefs in this lau- 

 dable purfuit mufl arife from a greater in- 

 jight into the nature of Plants. 



Finding by many Experiments in the fifth 

 chapter, that the Air is plentifully infpired 

 by Vegetables, not only at their roots, but 

 alfo thro* fever al parts of their Trunks and 

 Branches-, this put me upon making a more 

 particular inquiry into the nature of the Air > 

 and to di [cover, if pojfible, wherein its great 

 importance to the life and fupport of Vege- 

 tables might confift ; on which account I was 

 obliged to delay the publication of the reft of 

 thefe Experiments, which were read two years 

 fince before the Royal Society, till I had made 

 fome progrefs in this inquiry. An account of 

 which I have given in the fixth chapter. 



i Where 





