3i8 ESSAYS AND OBSERVATIONS 



" tionem ^"; fince the fined varieties of 

 flowers are the mod tender ; fince variega- 

 tion of flowers, as well as of leaves, is pre- 

 ternatural; and finceeven the improvements 

 of plants or fruits by culture, with relation 

 to their vifefulnefs to us, are but difeafes in 

 the plant?, confldered in their natural (late: 

 May it not be properly inferred, that, 

 whatever influence the duft of the apices 

 has in producing thefe, it muft be owing 

 to its noxious, not foecundating, va- 



pours "^ 



6i. And, to conclude, although it 

 ihould be granted that we have not fuffi- 

 cient data, to enable us to determine pofi- 

 lively of what real ufe this duft is to the 

 plant ; yet, fince it has appeared, to a de- 

 monftration, certain, that fertile feeds may 

 be produced without it; our ignorance 

 herein can never be an argument of any 

 confequence for the modern fexual 

 fcheme, or dodlrine of the fexes of vegeta- 

 bles, againft which I having been arguing; 

 with what fuccefs, I fubmit to the learned 



to determine. 



Art, 



* Fund. Bot. S 150. 



