( 297 ) 



In like manner as in feeds, fo in the buds of trees the future 

 produce may be diftinguiflied ; for I have, in the middle of winter, 

 cut off a twig from one of my bell bearing fruit trees, and on 

 opening fome of the buds, and viewing them by the microfcope, I 

 could difcover the blolToms, though w^onderfully minute. At the 

 fame time alfo, I cut a twig from a currant tree, and opened the 

 buds, wherein I faw, not only the fmall currants, which were in- 

 clofed in a double covering, and lay in as compadl and perfe61: 

 figure as fmall bunches of grapes, but I alfo faw the germ or firll 

 fhoot of the future young wood of the tree, which was already 

 formed and prepared to iflue from that part where the bunches of 

 currants arife in the bud. Fig. 31, BCD, are two bunches of 

 thefe currants feen through the microfcope, and EFG, is the germ 

 or flioot of the young wood. 



Now, if we do not content ourfelves with merely examining 

 the formation of different feeds, but weigh and confider in our 

 minds, the wonderful and incomprehenfible perfedlion in the ope- 

 rations of Nature, or, more properly fpeaking, of the all- wife Cre- 

 ator, who in many feeds has created the future plant, with a mealy 

 fubftance for its fupport and nourifliment, and in others has pro- 

 vided for the growth of the young plant, without any fuch fupport. 

 When I fay, we duly weigh and confider all thefe things, we may 

 conclude and be aflured, that all the trees and plants now growing 

 on the furface of the earth, have been produced in regular fuccef- 

 fion from trees and plants of the fame fpecies which were created 

 at the Beginning of the World, 



Vol. II. P P 



