24S OP THE PARTS 



from the returning sap, are confined to their 

 own ptirposes. As soon as these are accom- 

 plished, a decided separation of vessels takes 

 place, and the ripe fruit, accon:panied per- 

 haps by its stalk, falls from the tree. Dr. 

 Hales tried in vain to give any flavour to 

 fruit by the most • penetrating and volatile 

 fluids conveyed through the sap-vessels ; for 

 the laws of secretion are absolute in the or- 

 gans of the flower, and their various results 

 are, if possible, more strikingly distinct than 

 even those we have contemplated in the leaves. 

 It is scarcely necessary to repeat that the 

 fructification is essential to vegetables. A 

 plant may be destitute of stem, leaves, or 

 even roots, because, if one of these parts be 

 wanting, the others may perform its func- 

 tions, but it can never be destitute of those 

 organs by which its species is propagated. 

 Hence, though many individual plants may 

 'be long without blossoms, there are none, so 

 far as nature has been thoroughly investi- 

 gated, that are not capable, in favourable 

 circumstances, of producing them, as well aa 

 seeds ; to whose perfection the blossoms them- 

 ^Ivcs are altogether subservient. 



