ABSORPTION OF LEAVES. 19* 



philosopher, six lived nearly as long with 

 one surface applied to the water as with the 

 other ; these were the common Arum macii- 

 latum, the French Bean, the Sun-flower, 

 Cabbage, Spinach and the Small Mallow. 

 By the last I presume is meant Malva ro- 

 tundifolia, Engl. Bot.t. 109 ( 2. Six others. 

 Plantain, White Mullein, the Great Mallow 

 (probably M. sylvestris, t. 671), the Nettle, 

 Cocks-comb, and Purple-leaved Amaranth 

 (probably Amaranthus hypocho?idriacit$), 

 lived longest with their upper surface laid 

 upon the water. The Nettle lived but three 

 weeks with its under surface on the water, 

 and about two months in a contrary position. 

 The Mullein scarcely survived five or six 

 days, and the Amaranth not a week, in the 

 first-mentioned posture, while the leaves of 

 the former remained m vigour about five 

 weeks, and of the latter three months, when 

 their upper surfaces imbibed the water. 

 Marvel of Peru and Balm, the two remain- 

 ing plants of the fourteen on which the ex- 

 periment was made, had also an evident ad- 

 vantage in receiving that fluid by their upper 

 surfaces. The leaves of some of the above 



