STUDY XI. 183 



in number, that they appear infufficient for col- 

 lecting the water neceflary to it's growth, and fo 

 much the more, that it thrives in foils the mod 

 parched. Nature bas indemnified it in another 

 manner. If it's leaves are fmall, it's roots are very 

 long. They go in quell of coolnefs to a great 

 diftance. I have feen fome of them extracted from 

 the earth, which were more than twenty feet in 

 length, and it was neceflary, after all, to break 

 them off, it being impoflible to reach the extre- 

 mities. This prevents not the fcanty leaves from 

 exhibiting the mountain-character; for they are 

 concave, they point toward Heaven, and are length- 

 ened out, like the under bill of a bird. 



The greateft part of aquatic vegetables throw the 

 water off from them, fome by their port ; fuch as 

 the birch, the branches of which, fo far from rear- 

 ing themfelves toward Heaven, fall downward, in 

 form of an arch. The fame thing may be affirmed 

 of the great cheftnut and of the walnut, unlefs 

 thefe trees fhould have changed their natural atti- 

 tude, by growing in thirfty fituations. Their bark 

 is ufually fleek, as that of the birch, or fcaly, like 

 that of the cheftnut ; but not hollowed into ca- 

 nals, as that of the elm, or the mountain pine. 

 Others have in themfelves a repulfive quality : fuch 

 are the leaves of the nymphzea, and of feveral fpe- 

 cies of colewort, on which the drops of water col- 



n 4 lect 



