( 51 ) 



the other balls of clay contiguous to this moill one, receive the 

 moiflure from it and become wet, and thefe again lying in contact 

 n\dth others, at length all the globules or balls of clay will, by 

 means of the firft globule, become wet; and this is the cafe in the 

 nourifliment of leaves and alfo of fruits. 



Fig. 8, ABC reprefents the outfide of the young leaves in an 

 Almond, and upon removing them, I perceive feveral leaves in- 

 clofed in them. Fig Q, AB C, is the outllde of the leaves in the 

 kernel of a Cherry, an I ^o-. iq, ABC, the leaves, as they appeared 

 to me, in the kernel of an Apple. 



Now, if in fuch fmall feeds as thofe which produce the Afli (one 

 of the largeft trees growing in this country), and which feed is fo 

 light, that fix of them fcarcely weigh four grains, if in thefe feeds, 

 I fay, we difcover, not only the perfeA leaves with their vellels, 

 but alfo the ilem and root of the future tree, and thefe much plainer 

 and larger than in the Walnut or Hazle, we fhall alfo eafily per- 

 ceive that wife and provident Nature in all her operations, and 

 efpecially in the propagation of plants and animals, perfects her 

 \vork, by ways and means limilar or analogous. * For the feeds 

 of trees and plants not only contain in them the origin of the future 

 plant, but alfo a white fubftance which we denominate meal, in 

 order to nourifli and fupport the young plant, until it has ftruck its 

 roots into the earth and can draw nourifliment from thence. Be- 

 lldes which, many feeds are provided with an oily fubflance, 

 whereby the young leaves and plants are kept from drying up, and 

 ■\- many feeds which have not this oil will not remain long good out 

 of the ground. 



* In the original it is " all feeds mufl neccflarily be provided with a mealy fubftance," 

 ice. but this is a miilake which the author corrects prefcntly afterwards in his account of the 

 feed of Cotton. 



+ This is particiilaily (he cafe with the Acorn, which by nature is defigned to Tegetate 

 immediately after it quits the tree. 



G 2 



