•theri. The whole plant is formed of leaves, till floweHnj^ 

 time, except the root, (which in every respect agrees with 

 •ther plants, having^ the same divisions between the root 

 and leaves, as I discovered between that toot and stem in 

 •ther piantSj and whi^h I called the grand obstruction) : but 

 when the time arrives for the plants to become prolific, there 

 runs np from the root a slender thread, at first like pack- 

 thread, within the axil of the leaf, and under the cuticle. 

 This by degrees increases. It is composed of many little par- 

 cels of the germe of buds, in each of which is the knot of the 

 line of life. As they rise, they enlarge, till, too much swelled 

 fttr confinement, they burst forth into flowers; appearing to 

 grow from the leaf: but they have in reality no connexion 

 with it, except that of borrowing from it the spiral and nou- 

 rishing vessels, which run into the corolla. I have traced the 

 palm when just going to flower : for though frbin the want of 

 air in the hothouse, it had never flowered, yet the buds were 



* within. 1 found more in the root just ready to run up, and 



9ome halfway; it is exactly made like the grasses, and like 

 the arums, and every plant of that kind which has no stem ; 

 but in palms it is impossible to know all this without dissect- 

 ing one. This order of plants flowers in various ways, but 

 generally, at the top of the plant. The grasses carry up 

 their diminutive buds through the flower stalk, one by one, 

 with the Ihie of life. In the arums it is very easy to trace 

 the buds, but they increase more and in a quicker manner 

 than in most of this class. 



4tb sort of bud. My fourth sort of bud is confined within a bulbous root* 

 This explains itself; it begins at the root, and completes its 

 form, more than is usual in any other plants except those of 

 the ranunculus tribe. Before it leaves the root all its parts 

 '4Lre generally designed; they only enlarge, and the peduncle 

 grows and raises them to view, having the bud at the top, 

 hence the histories of the flowers to be found within the 

 bulb. There are many however, that by no means resemble 

 what they are to be, any more than many germes,when first 

 concealed in the bud; because the parts are yet seldons 

 proportioned to each other. The tulip and hyacinth are 

 peculiarly perfect in the bulb. 



1 have now given a simple account, sufficient to make al] 



understand 



