Of Vegetation. 3 j t 



then thefc fupplcmcntal fcminal leaves,* r t ar, 

 being of no farther ufc, doperifh ; not only 

 becaufc the now grown and more expanded 

 leaves of the young plant or tree, do fo 

 ovcrthadow the fupplcmcntal leaves, that 

 their former more plentiful pcrfpiration is 

 much abated ; and thereby alfo their power 

 of attracting fap fails > but alfo becaufe the 

 fap is drawn from them by the leaves, and 

 they being thus deprived of nourifhmcnr, 



do pcrilh. 



As the tree advances in ftature, the firft, 

 fecond, third, and fourth order of lateral 

 branches (hoot out, each lower order being 

 longer than thofe immediately above them j 

 not only on account of primogeniture, but 

 alfo becaufe being infertcd in larger parts 

 of the trunk, and nearer the root , they 

 have the advantage of being ferved with grea- 

 ter plenty of fap, whence arifes the beau- 

 tiful parabolical figure of trees. 



But when trees Hand thick together in 

 Woods or Groves, this their natural fhapc 

 is altered, becaufe the lower lateral branches 

 being muchlhaded, they canperfpire little; 

 and therefore drawing little nourifhmcnr, 

 they perim ; but the top branches, being 



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