fl CE C O N O M y 



§• 9- 



Plants oftentimes by their very flrudure 

 fontribute remarkably both to their own pre- 

 fervation, and that of others. But the wifdom 

 of the Creator appears no where rnore, than in 

 the manner of growth of trees. For as their roots 

 defcend deeper, than thofe of other plant s^ pro- 

 vifion is thereby made, that they fhall not rob 

 them too much of nourifhment -, and what is 

 ftill more^ a fterrj not above a fpan in diame- 

 ter often Ihoots up its branches very high ; 

 thefe bear perhaps many thqufand buds, each 

 of v/hich is a plant with its leaves, Jfowers and 

 Jlipiilce, Now if all thefe grew upon the plain, 

 they would take up a thoufand times as much 

 fpace, as the tree does, and in this cafe there 

 >youid fcarcely be room in all the earth for fo 

 many plc::ts, as at prefent the trees alone af- 

 ford, Bcfides plants that flioot up in this v/ay 

 are more eafily preferved from cattle by a na- 

 tural defence, and farther their leaves falling 

 in autumn cover the plants growing about 

 againft the rigor of the winter, and in the 

 fummer they afford a pleafmg fhade, not on- 

 ly to animals, but to plajits, againft the in- 

 tpnfe heat of the fun. We may add that 



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