( m ) 



original plant. And this, I take to be a certain truth, which prevails 

 not only in plants, but in all livinpj creatures whatlbevcr. 



I was clchrous to examine, whether in the ves^etation of corn, there 

 would be as great a number of radicles proceed from the iirftroot.as I 

 had obferved in grai's, and for this purpofe, I took a glal's tube, about 

 half an inch in diameter, and tiiree inches long; having Hopped this 

 at one end, I hlled it rather more than two third parts Mith dry fand, 

 which I moiltened with rain water, and prefled it gently together to 

 keep it in its place, and then dcpofited it in three grains of Wheat, 

 flopping alio the other end. 



This glafs tube 1 Irequcntly carried in my pocket, antl in tiiree or 

 four days,tlie Wheat began to put forth roots. On the feventh day, 

 the roots were fo far grown, tliat I could mod plainly difcern them to 

 be compofed of wonderfully minute tubes, each of which was formed 

 with joints, as are to be feen in reeds or ftraws. 



The diaineter of thefe roots was, as near as I could compute, 

 about the fixtieth part of an inch, and, at the extremities, they were 

 obtufe or rounding, like the ends of thole quills whicii are taken out 

 of the wings of birds : the lurface of them was very fmooth and 

 Ihining, witliout any appearance of radicles iil'uing from them, 

 excepting near the grain, where numbers of exquifitely minute radicles 

 were to be feen. 



On the eiglith day, the young germ or flioot had grown to 

 the length of three quarters of an inch, the roots were alio lo far 

 grown as to reach the bottom of the tube, wliereupon 1 took 

 out the cork, and they then protruded themfelvesout of the tube, and 

 I lioped to have difcovered in them, whether there were the fame 

 joints in the fmall radicles as in the larger roots ; but, in the fpace of 

 half a minute, the moiflure in them was fo evaporated, that they be- 

 came contracted into irregular Ihapes. 



