282 A ntw View of Vegelable Life, 



the preceding year, now entering the flower-bud for the first 

 time to complete their forms ; by the heart of the seeds when 

 ready, drawing themselves into the pericarp by means of 

 the line of life, with which thev are tied ; and the pollen pow- 

 der into the stamen. The whole then closing, till near the time 

 of fructification; when the enlarged flowers acquiring new stalks 

 (again leaving the flower-bud which falls off, being scales only) 

 the flowers shoot up into perfection ; — then the seeds fill up 

 their heart, acquire their outward part ; and when the flower 

 dies, they soon complete their cover, and drop into the earth. 

 The leaf-bud also, by taking in the leaves, and completing their 

 edges and upper cuticle (being evidently an after process), and 

 thus gave the idea of their being formed there: nay, I have rea- 

 son to think their pabulum is also a late formation, the bark- 

 Juice being then undoubtedly propelled into the leaf-bud. 



Thus this new discovery only n)ore completely establishes all 

 the facts 1 have hitherto made known of the formation of plants, 

 and confirms some of the propositions I wished to prove ; viz. 

 that the seeds, pollen, and ^oi^^er-Z'KC?, are formed in the root: it 

 •hows that also l\\eJioiver-hud and leaf-bud are a totally different 

 substance from t\\efiower and leaf; and that the account I have 

 before given of the passage of the flower-bud through the wood 

 is a real fad, and which this new discovery by no means invali- 

 dates. Indeed, it accounts for some trifling contradictions that 

 did not quite assimilate with the general plan, and for some 

 difficulties I could not before understand. The first was the 

 earliest separation of the flowtr-lud and flower, when in the 

 root, as every author and every prejudice had taught me to seek 

 the flower in the flower-bud. Now this prior formation com- 

 pletely clears the whole, and f^h6vvs that the flower-bud was merely 

 intended as a case to perfect the flower, not to commence it. 

 How beautiful are they now made to meet, and t!ie flower ta 

 enter there for the reception of its various ingredients ! In the 

 second place, it showed that what I took for the first commence- 

 ment of the leaf was the lueuving of the scales, and the finishing 

 the leaf : indeed, I never before could account for the little 

 branches of extremelij diminutive leaves I found also in the leaf- 

 bud, with the loose fibres weaving other parts: the latter were 

 for the scales, the former the real unfinished leaves : while the 

 leaf-bud is certain'y formed in the bark, as I have before shown. 

 Thus, though the whole has been discovered by detached pieces, 

 it all arranges itself in a perfect regular manner, and, like a cut 

 map, each part fits into the place appropriated for it. If this 

 does not prove it true, I know not what will, since perfect con- 

 sistency belongs to God alone : and I feel thoroughly conscious of 

 my inability to produce or invent such a plan. In short, every 



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