16 CONCERNING SECT. II. 



arc thick and fucculenf, calculated to imbibe air and 

 moifture from the atmofphere, for the fupport of the 

 tender plant, that might othenvife fuffer by drought : 

 for it invito, proceed in growth, or it would quickly die. 

 When the radicle has ftruck downwards, the office of 

 the feed is evidently to nouriOi thefe leaves, as is feen 

 by the feed coming above the ground with them, ex- 

 haufted of its fubitance — a mere mell flicking to the 

 top of the leaves. 



But fome plants have no feed leaves properly fo 

 called, as corn ; which has therefore been deemed by 

 fome, not ftri&ly a feed, but a bud, or bulb. 



It has been doubted whether all plants have feed, 

 becaufeysw forts have not been obferved to produce it. 

 To conclude that they have, is however more agree- 

 able to the uniformity of the divine procedure, and al- 

 together to reafon. 



Seed may be conceived fo fmall as not to be difcerned 

 with the help of convex glades, as we know there are 

 m-iny not difcernible without them ; and with this mi- 

 nutenefs, it may be extremely fugacious by its flight 

 adhefion to the plant. 



The truth is, God originally ordained that plants 

 mould proceed from feed, and they do, (Gen. i. 2.) 

 It was long faid, that fern bare no feed ; but this is 

 a demonftrable mi (lake. That Mujhrooms produce 

 feed, we need not doubt. Many of the mojjes are fo 

 fmall in the ftate of plants, that the micro] cope only 

 can difcover their flowers, and even in fome, the plants 

 themfelves are but barely thus difcernible. A great 

 variety of feeds are wafted' about continually in the air, 

 and produce their kind, whenever they light upon a 

 proper matrix. Whatever has- been objected there ap- 

 pears good ground for believing, that there is-no natural 

 production, either in the vegetable or animal king- 

 dom, but what comes froi* the feed, or egg of fome 

 parent. 



