134 ON WATER PLANTS. 



land plants are. And whereas it is an usual tiling to shelter land 

 plants from the heat of the sun, after they have been transplanted, 

 water plants must be treated quite contrary, and must be exposed to 

 the sun after their removal. 



The seeds of water plants are of two kinds ; the one kind swimming 

 on the top of the water, and the other sinking to the bottom as soon 

 as it is shed, following the nature of their mother plants in that re- 

 spect ; for if the seeds of such plants which naturally swim on the 

 top of the water should sink to the bottom, those seeds would not be 

 in the proper station which is required for their growth ; and so of 

 consequence would perish ; and so, on the other hand, the seeds of 

 such plants which naturally grow under water, will not swim on the 

 top of it. 



It may also be observed, that in our climate no one water plant 

 is an evergreen ; but all of them are either vivacious or annual, and 

 either lose their leaves down to their roots, or entirely perish, ex- 

 cepting only their seeds; for it is impossible that they should live 

 and grow in frozen waters. 



Therefore, in order to preserve their seeds, that we may be sup- 

 plied with the several kinds from year to year, the plants are to be 

 followed from the flower till they are ripe, and then they should be 

 put into earth and water, to preserve them fit for vegetation the next 

 spring; for that is the way that nature takes, and there is no diffi- 

 culty of doing this in pots, &c. 



They may be put into the pots or troughs as soon as they are 

 gathered, and may there either sink or swim according to their 

 nature, until the spring causes them to sprout ; and they will prosper 

 and require but a very little attendance. 



I do not doubt but that the seeds of water plants will produce as 

 many varieties as the seeds of land plants every year. 



As to exotic water plants, I am of opinion that they are best to be 

 procured and brought hither in the seeds ; and whereas in America 

 the waters are generally adorned with beautiful plants, if they were 

 procured by some ingenious correspondent in those parts they may 

 be put (each sort by itself) into bottles of water and earth with large 

 mouths, and only to be covered with a linen cloth, for if they were 

 stopped with corks the liquor would be apt to ferment ; and these 

 bottles might be put into a vessel of water, and so be brought to us ; 



