On Wheat, and the 7nanner of its vegetation ; the nature of the feveral 

 component parts of that grain explained, ajid their figures defcribed 

 asjeen by the micro/cope. 



XxLL feeds contain in them the rudiments, or firft beginning plants, 

 of their refpe6live fpecies ; that is, the part which, in the progrefs 

 of vegetation, flioots upwards, and forms the ftalk or ftem, and that, 

 which penetrates downwards into the earth, and is called the root. 

 Seeds do alfo, for the mofi: part, contain a farinaceous or mealy fub- 

 llance, which affords nourifliment to the young plants until the roots 

 arc of a lufficient fize for extra6ling fupplies from the earth, to 

 continue and perfedl their growth. 



Among many other feeds, I have particularly examined the 

 grains of Wheat ; and, in them, the young plant 1 have mentioned, 

 before it began to vegetate, having firll either put them in 

 water for a ihort time, or held a few grains in my mouth, 

 merely to moiften the outward membranes, whereby they could the 

 eafier be taken off. And, having feparated the two external mem- 

 branes v/hich cover the young plant, I took it out from the grain, and 

 placed it before the microfcope, when it appeared to me to be com- 

 ])ofed of nothing elfe than a collection of afcending veflcls, with 

 fome flexures or bend^njrs in them, and Ibme minute tubercles or 

 pimples, which pimples I conceived to be only caufed by the evapo- 

 rating of the moiflure. 



In Plate VI. fig. i, ABCDEF, is the whole of this begin- 



