( 2p7 ) 



employed, it a])peared to me, tliat the tranfparent membrane con- 

 ftitutiug the tube, was compofed of veirds taking their courle round 

 about the tube. 



To make proof of this, I tore fome of thefe tubes of the wood 

 afunder longitudinally, when I perceived, that where torn, they were 

 very much indented or jagged, whence I concluded, that however 

 tranfparent they might appear to me, they were yet compofed of a 

 "■reat number of veifels Ivinsr in a circular direction. 



F/l'. 12, 1 K, reprefents apart of one of thole larger tubes fo torn and 

 jagged, which is very clofely united to the adjoining fmall veflel 

 at L M in the fame figure, and from which, as I think, this larger 

 tube received nourifliment in its growth, and the rather becaufe, 

 though the membrane or coat of this tube appeared tranfparent, yet.' 

 it plainly appeared, that the membrane was compofed of minute 

 velTels, w^iich appeared to derive their origin from that fmall veffel. 



I then proceeded to examine thefe larger tubes of the wood, with 

 all the accuracy I was able, and I was well afllired, that I faw the 

 membrane compofing them to be made of vefTels like ftreaks croffing 

 each otlier at right angles ; a particle of this membrane is fliewa 

 m/g. 12, at LNOI, where the vedels or ftreaks from I to N and 

 from L to O mutually crofs each otlier, by which means tliis thin 

 fubftance is ftrengthened ; and who can tell how many, and what 

 various parts fuch a tube of the wood may contain ? 



I think I have formerly faid, refpe6ling the veins in the 

 leaves of trees, tliat they are of a fpiral t\\ ifted form, like that re- 

 prefented in /^. lo at CD ; and alfo, that the firing by which many 

 nuts (as the filberd, almond, &c. ) have nourifliment conveyed to 

 them through the hard fnclls, confifts of many veflels of tlie like 

 kind, and upon recolle6i:ing this I determined, as far as I was able, to 

 -dideft the young plant I had taken out of the Nutmeg, to fee whe- 

 ther the veHels reprefented mfg. lo, at CD and which are in great 

 aiumbers in the wood, could alfo be found in, the young plant. 



Go 3 



