ON WATER AND WATERING PLANTS. 283 



ease they are sent up into the atmosphere ; and thence are con- 

 veyed to our organs of smelling, by the air we draw in by respira- 

 tion, and are either pleasant or offensive, beneficient or injurious 

 to us, according to the nature of the plants from whence they 

 arise. 



And since these owe their rise to the water which ascends out 

 of the earth through the bodies of plants, we cannot be far to 

 seek for the cause why they are more numerous in the air; and 

 we find a greater quantity of odours exhaling from vegetables, in 

 warm, humid seasons, than in any other whatever. 



Observation 3. A great part of the terrestrial matter, that is 

 mixed with the water, ascends up into the plant, as well as the 

 water. 



At the end of the experiment, there was much more terrestrial 

 matter hi the water of the glasses F and G, that had no plants 

 in them, than in those that had plants. The garden mould in the 

 glasses K and L was considerably diminished and carried off: 

 nay, the terrestrial and vegetable matter was born up in the 

 tubes filled with sand, cotton &c. and in that quantity, as to be 

 evident even to the sense. And the bodies in the cavities of the 

 other tubes, which had their lower ends immersed in water, 

 wherein Saffron, Cochineal, &c, had been infused, were 'tinged 

 with yellow, purple, &c. 



If it may be permitted to look abroad a while towards the 

 shores and parts within the verge of the sea, there will be found 

 a large scene of plants, that along with the vegetable, take up 

 the mere mineral matter also in great abundance ; such as Sea- 

 Purslains, the several 6orts of Alga's Samphires and other marine 

 plants. 



These contain common sea-salt which is all one with the fossil, 

 in such plenty, as not only to be plainly distinguished on the pal- 

 ate but may be drawn forth from them in considerable quantities. 

 And some affirm, that there are plants found that will yield nitre 

 and mineral salts. 



As to vegetable matter, it is manifest how apt and how much 

 disposed it is (being so very fine and light) to attend water in 

 all its motions, and to follow it into each of its recesses, not only 

 from those instances that have been alledged above, but from 

 many others. 



If you percolate it with all the care imaginable, if you filter it 

 with never so many nitrations, yet there will remain some tcr- 



