126 On the Physiology of Vegetalles^ 



want of time) pursue the fact through a series of inquiries, as it 

 should certiiinly have been done. Such discoveries have often 

 been thrown off merely because they want the leading points to 

 serve as co/idiiclors, or the conlinuing line to pursue the course 

 begun. Possessing such a fact, so strong, so importar/t, it should 

 never have been neglected, but traced in its preceding and fol- 

 lowing points: if this had been done, the whole circle of vege- 

 table life would now pr6babh have been well known and under- 

 stood. 



I showed in niv last letter, that seeds, when cut into extreme 

 thin slices horizontally, gave the appearance of many very di- 

 minutive shoots, with a root to each, or a long continuance of a 

 thin narrow pattern running all over the seed, and surrounding 

 the enibrvo at a small distance. I was not the least aware that 

 this was before known; since it: had not at all corrected our ideas- 

 concerning the formation of plants, which supposes but one germ 

 in each seed. But I now find, in looking over The Philoso- 

 phical Transactions for the year 1739, that Mr. Henry Baker 

 had in that work given an account of his discovery, which I here 

 copy from his own letter. 



" The growth of animals and vegetables seems to be nothing 

 else but a gradual unfolding and expansion of their vessels, bv 

 a slow and expressive insinuation of fluids adapted to tlieir dia- 

 meters, until, being stretched to the utmost bounds allotted them 

 bv Providence at their first formation, they reach their state of 

 perfection or full growth. If this be granted, the consequence 

 tr.ust be, that all members of a perfect anhnal exist really in 

 every animalcula, and that all the parts of a perfect plant exist 

 in every little grain of the farina plantarum, however viimite. 

 Amongst numberless inquirers whom the opinion " that everv 

 seed includes many real plants," (has set to work to open a!! 

 kinds of seeds and try by glasses to find evident proofs thereof,) 

 I have not been the least indiustrious: but after repeated experi- 

 ments in everv manner I could think of, I began to despair of 

 success. If bv moistening the seed it began to vegetate, I could 

 indeed discern the seminal leaves and the germen or bud whence 

 the future plant should aiise, but was able to go no further, un- 

 less I waited til' the moisture gradually di -tending its vessels, 

 made the little root or heart shoot down, and stalk rise up, and 

 the minute leaves expand and bring themselves to view. This 

 however was not the thing sought : but some days ago, by mere 

 accident, when I thought nothing about it, I was favoured with a 

 discovery I bad so often searched after to no ))urpose. Endea- 

 vouring with a fine lancet to dissect a seed of the Gramen tu- 

 vmlentum, with intention to examine the several parts of the 

 case with a microscope, I struck the point of the lancet into 



somethiua; 



