OFNATURE. 6i 



has made the flowers recline, in order thac 

 the duft may more eafily fall into the Jligma^ 

 e. g. in the campanula^ cowjlip \ &c. But 

 when the foecundation is compleated the flow- 

 ers rife again, that the feeds may not fall out 

 before they are ripe, at which time they are 

 difpcrfed by the winds. In other flowers on 

 the contrary the pijlill is fliorter, and there 

 the flowers preferve an ereft fituation, nay 

 when the flowering comes on they become 

 ere6t ; tho' before they were drooping, or 

 immerfed under water. Lailly, whenever the 

 male flowers are placed below the female 

 ones, the leaves are exceedingly fmall, and 

 narrow, that they may rjt hinder the dufl 

 from flying upwards, like fmoak j as we fee 

 in the pine^ fir^ yew^ fea-grape^ juniper^ cy- 

 prefs^ &c. and wTien in one and the fame fpe- 

 cies one plant is male, and the other female, 

 and confequently may be far from one another, 

 there the dufl:, without which there is no im- 

 pregnation, is carried in abundance by the help 



* This curious phaEnomcnon did not efcape the poetical 

 eye of Milton, who was (o very much ilruck with the bean- 

 cy of it, that he thought it worth del'cribing in the follow- 

 ing enlivened imagery. 



With cowflips ivan thai ha>:g the ^enlve head, 



of 



