200 STUDIES OF NATURE. 



The tupelo, another great tree of Carolina, 

 which grows likewife by the water's fide, but in 

 creeks, has nearly the fame dimenfions at it's bafe, 

 excepting the ice-breakers, or pallifades. The 

 feeds cf thofe trees are fluted, as I have already 

 obferved to be the cafe with aquatic feeds in ge- 

 neral ; and that of the cyprefs of Louiiiana differs 

 confiderably, by it's nautical form, from that of 

 the cyprefs of the mountains of Europe, which ia 

 volatile. Thefe obfervations are fo much the more 

 worthy of credit, that Father Charlevoix, who, in 

 part, relates them, deduces no confequence what- 

 ever from the fads, though he was abundantly ca- 

 pable of interpreting their ufe. 



It muft now be apparent of what importance it 

 is to conned the ftudy of plants with that of the 

 other Works of Nature. It is poffible to afcer- 

 tain, by their flowers, the expofure to the Sun which 

 is beft adapted to them : by their leaves, the quan- 

 tity of water that is neceflary to them ; by their 

 roots, the foil which is mod fuitable -, and by 

 their fruits, the fituations in which they ought to 

 be placed, together with new relations to the ani- 

 mals which feed upon them. By fruit I mean, 

 as Botanifts likewife do, feed of every fpecies. 



The fruit is the principal character of the plant. 

 Of this we may form a judgment, firft, from the 



care 



