1818.] Death of Plants. 255 



of life. It was, therefore, approaching to the last stage of fer- 

 mentation. On dissecting it three hearts of seeds were disco- 

 vered, being evidently the source of this shoot, all three having 

 united to form it. 



Different plants seem to undergo the process of fermentation 

 in a more or less complete manner ; but we may conclude that 

 every plant which has the saccharine fermentation has also the 

 vinous, and that death generally succeeds them. It is often, 

 however, a very long time before each change takes place, and 

 still longer before it can reach putrefaction and decomposition. 

 If the plant be killed by drawing the root out of the ground, the 

 saccharine fermentation takes place directly ; and if the whole 

 plant be buried in this state, the fermentation immediately stops, 

 and for a time all effect is suspended, till some accidental air, or 

 moisture, gets access to it and renews it. Thus, by degrees 

 (but at a very slow rate), both the saccharine and vinous ferment- 

 ations succeed each other ; but in ten times the period they 

 would require to pass through the process in the open air, because 

 they are only indebted to accident for the renewal of their fer- 

 mentation ; so that the length of the operation must be most 

 uncertain and irregular. 



It is easy to know the different states in which the vegetable 

 is ; the saccharine is always attended with a sweetish taste, and 

 a clammy feel ; in the next stage the sweetness has passed off, 

 and the plant has less specific gravity. When once these stages 

 are completed, during both of which, and more especially the 

 latter, much caloric escapes ; and when all the latent heat is 

 evolved, if just preceding this last operation the heart of the 

 seeds have not time or strength to collect the juices sufficient 

 to excite the vital principle, the plant dies, and the line of life 

 turns black. As soon as putrefaction has appeared in the 

 external parts, the seed also dies, the whole vegetable becomes 

 putrid, loses its form and shape, becomes amass of fetid matter, 

 wind decomposition finishes this part of the process. But it still 

 requires a long time to convert it into mould, and must require 

 much additional matter to bring it to the state of rich garden 

 earth. 



The best mould of this kind is a compound of several different 

 earths; it possesses also much animal and vegetable matter. 

 Being of a porous consistence, and therefore exposed for near a 

 foot m depth to the influence of the air, all its component parts 

 are by this means decomposed and reduced. But that part of 

 this earth which is peculiarly beneficial and excellent for the 

 growth of vegetables consists of underground plants, pro- 

 bably of the nature of fungi, which, though they are so 

 extremely diminutive as to require the aid of a microscope 

 to enable us to pick them out, are in such quantities, and 

 are of so tender and delicate a kind, and so short-lived, as to 

 form a constant succession of nutriment. They appear to ms 



