4t)6 On the Seed of Plants. 



be the lieart of seeds. Fig. 1, is the radicle: the termination of 

 the thread-root a a, is the powder which enterb from the earth, 

 and forms itself into a ball ; and I' h is the part of the radicle 

 which joins to the larger root, in which the diminutive shoot is 

 inserted within the ball. Fig. 2, is where the hearts of the 

 seedscross the large root cc, and make their way to the albur- 

 num vessels dd, running up each of these in the stem to attain 

 the bud generally discovered at top. Fig. 3, is where the hearts 

 of the seeds run up the short flower-stalks, and enter the flower- 

 buds at the bottom of the flower, which is the seed-vessel : — the 

 flowers are then very young buds. Fig. 4, is where the bags ot 

 the seeds are placed in regular order in the seed-vessel, and open 

 their tops for the reception of the hearts of the seeds, and after- 

 wards of the atmospheric nutriment, which soon half fills the 

 bags of the seeds at the top where the heart is ; ffj, •"•''so 

 hg. A, shows the atmospheric hair. Fig. 5, is where the nutri- 

 ment of the root is received, the vessels being made for the pur- 

 po;,e of throwing up the powder, which is at this time only to be 

 traced from the root upwards, while all the mechanism of the 

 hairs has disappeared, or changed their forms. Fig. 6, is 

 where the seeds are impregnated : the cord ee having once be- 

 fore passed through the seed-vessel, has run up the pistil to 

 fetch the powder of the stamen, which it there mi>:os with the 

 sweet juices of the pistil; and they together form that vivifying 

 matter which enables the shoot in the heart of the seed to spread 

 and form its primordial sprig: it also enables the whole seed- 

 vessel to surround itself with the female shoct, which soon form 

 the new stripes which run up the wood of the young plant when 

 in the earth (as I shall in future time show). 



I must still give another specimen, (fig. 7,) which serves most 

 admirably to prove how true it is that the powder flows up the 

 stem of all plants, to fill the seeds (see fig. 5); since, if the stem is 

 cut at that time, it will be found with six or seven apertures open 

 the whole way up the stem (see a a a) for that purpose ; that s, 

 regular vessels that convey the powder up the pith, which being 

 cut horizontally, show the open mouths of those vessels and the 

 .seed powder that runs up them, fig. T , a aa : — this la?,tr. but a 

 v/eek or two at most, and then the ve^^els form themselves into 

 other matter, equally serviceable. In short, the whole of this 

 j>rocess proves that the heart of the seed is formed by the matter 

 which comes from the earth ; that before it leaves its radicle it 

 acquirer, a diminutive shoot ; that when that shoot is acquired, 

 the balls run across the root, up the various alburnum vessels ; 

 that they convey them up these vessels to the various buds, at 

 tlic bottom of which the empty seed-bags are ready to receive 

 them ; that they run up the flower-stalks into these seed- bags, 



and 



