ON WATER AND WATERING PLANTS. 22(5 



fcewd matter, than that in any of those that had the plants in them 

 did. The sediment in the bottoms of the phials was greater 

 and the nubecula? diffused through the body of the water, was 

 thicker." 



" And of that which was in the others, some of it proceeded 

 from certain small leaves that had fallen from that part of the 

 stems of the plants, that was within the water, wherein they rot- 

 ted and dissolved. The terrestrial matter in the rain water was 

 finer than that in the spring water. 



" In the year 1692, he made the following experiments with 

 Hyde Park conduit water. The glasses, he made use of in this, 

 were of the same sort with those of the former, and covered 

 over with parchments, in like manner. The plants were all 

 spear mint, the most kindly, fresh, sprightly shoots he could 

 cause. The water and the plants were weighed as before, and 

 the phials set in a line in a south window ; where they stood from 

 June the second to July the twenty-eighth, which was just fifty 

 six days. 



" H. Hyde Park conduit water alone. The mint weighed 

 when put in, one hundred and twenty seven grains ; when taken 

 out, two hundred and fifty five grains: the whole quantity of 

 water expended upon this plant, amounted to fourteen thousand 

 one hundred and ninety grains. This was all along a very kindly 

 plant, and had run up above two feet in height. It had shot but 

 one considerable branch, but had sent forth many and long roots 

 from whence sprung very numerous and short fibres. These 

 lesser came out of the larger, on two opposite sides for the most; 

 so that each root with its fibrilla appeared not unlike a small 

 feather. To these fibrillae pretty much terrestrial matter ad- 

 hered. There was a green substance in the water, resembling a 

 fine, thin conserva, which was at last thick and turbid. 



"The plant I. The same water alone. The mint weighed 

 when put in, one hundred and ten grains ; and when taken out, 

 two hundred and forty nine : the water expended was thirteen 

 thousand one hundred and forty grains. 



"This was as kindly as the former ; but had shot no collateral 

 branches. The roots of it, the water, and the green substance, 

 all much as in the former. 



"The plant K. The mint was set in Hyde Park conduit 

 water, in which was dissolved an ounce and a half of common 

 garden earth. It weighed, when put it, seventy six grains : when 



VOI,. V. cc 



