J 52 GROWTH OF SEEDS. 



long made my particular study, though I have had to en- 

 counter difficulties not a little discouraging, and in the in-» 

 vestigation of which such patience is required, as would de- 

 ter the most laborious students; beside the necessity of a 

 most powerful solar microscope for opake objects; to which 

 is gdded, improvements not generally 'applied, and which 

 causes it greatly to excel in clearness of vision. 

 Imprognttion The investigation I mean is, " The impregnation of the 

 of the seed. see d ; and the first shooting of the infant plant, or rather 

 of the gerrae or vessel which precedes it." It is almost im- 

 possible to ascertain the exact time when the seed is first 

 formed in the pericarp. I have always found them in the 

 winter bud, where there is any large enough for dissection. 

 It is most curious to see the vessels, which may properly be 

 Outward form called the life, tracing their way to each flower bud ; for a 

 of the seed. ^^ ma y ^ e s& ^ tQ depend f or perfection on two separate 

 moments: the one in which life first enters the seed, when 

 the whole outward form appears to be perfected ; and the 

 Second, when the impregnation of the seed takes place, by 

 the ripening of the pollen, as I shall hereafter show. But 

 when the life enters, it leaves a little string, and afterward 

 remains a long time in a torpid state. This string crpsses 

 the corculum, or heart pf the seed, so called because it is 

 the cradle of the infant plant. 

 Two distinct The seed is attached to the seed vessel by two distinct 

 organs attach- or g anS) which the first botanists have agreed to call the 

 the seed vessel, umbilical cord ; but I think they are improperly so named, 

 since they do not convey the nourishment to the infant 

 plant, which is wholly the office of the second set of vessels. 

 The first is, I conceive, the life of the plant, since with- 

 out it the plant dies, and with it uninjured, every other part 

 may by degrees be eradicated, and will grow again. I have 

 tried the experiment on many thousands, and never failed. 

 These delicate simple vessels, carrying a juice of a parti- 

 cular nature, are to be traced in every part, lying between 

 the wood and the pith. Nature has plainly shown their 

 consequence, by denying them to the leaf bud; (and what 

 gardener would take the leaf bud to hud with? None; for it 

 possesses not the life) but Providence by a sort of instinct 

 iiost curious teaches it to pass by the leaf bud, and proceed 



