AND ITS DIFFERENT KINDS. 115 



at the foundation of the wall, and volun- 

 tarily sent down its root to obtain it ; nor is 

 it wonderful that the Author of life should 

 provide for it as effectually as it could for 

 itself, had it really been a reflecting being. 

 So in the case of the grasses in question, I 

 presume the herb being in the first instance 

 starved, by a failure of the nutrimental fluids 

 hitherto conveyed by the water of the soil, 

 its growth would be checked, and when 

 checked the same growth could not, as we 

 know by observation on vegetation in general, 

 be instantaneously renewed. A sudden fresh 

 supply of food would therefore cause an accu- 

 mulation of vital energy in the root, which 

 would consequently assume a degree of vi- 

 gour and a luxuriant mode of growth not 

 natural to it, and become bulbous. Thus it 

 acquires a resource against such checks in 

 future, and the herb is preserved alive, though 

 in a very far less luxuriant state than when 

 regularly and uniformly supplied with its 

 requisite nourishment. These are not so- 

 litary instances. It is well worthy the atten- 

 tion of an intelligent cultivator to seek them 

 out, and turn them to his advantage. 



i 2 



