312 Experiments and Obfervations 
fay fomething on the ftructure, and the conftituent 
principles of vegetables. 
A plant isan organized body, confifting of Gures, 
velféls, and different organs, intended to produce 
different fecretions by their fpecific modes of action : 
fuch are the gummy matter of the Stigmata, the 
Pollen of the Antherae, the honey of the Neéarium, 
and the different vegetable acids commonly con- 
tained in the Pericarpium. 
The fubftances enumerated above, though very 
diffimilar in their fenfible qualities, are made up of 
but a few primary elements, that are combined in 
various proportions in the refpective compounds. 
Thefe are I. Oxycene, or the bafis of refpirable 
gas. II. Hyproceng, or the bafis of inflammable 
gas. III. Carsone, which when feparated from the 
other two forms charcoai. “Water, which is itfelf a 
compound, enters the abforbing veffels of all vege- 
tables; where it ferves as a vehicle for the unaffimi- 
lated particles, and afterwards efcapes by perfpiration, 
either wholly, or in part. 
The foregoing matters are found in the compo- 
fition of all vegetables; and Azore, or the bafis of 
mephitic gas, alfo, contributes to the materials dif- 
covered in the plants of the clafs TrTrapynamra. 
This fubfRance unites, during putrefaction, with 
Hydrogene, and compofes volatile Alkali: a property ~ 
which is peculiar to the genera of the clafs in quef- 
tion. The parts of a feed are, the Germ, and the 
feed 
