SECT. II. VEGETATION. 9 



There has been much controverfy about the food 

 of plants. A refpe&able writer fays, The faline, 

 un&uous, and fubtle flime, which the water feparatei 

 from the coarfe earth, and keeps in a difTolved itate, 

 is the principal nutriment of plants. And indeed, this 

 is the opinion of others, who have treated the fubject, 

 and is juflified by enquiries into the nature of the fap 

 of plants, by decompohtion : 



Thofe who contend for an inherent power in earth 

 to nourifh plants, lay a ftrefs upon the circumffance, 

 that various earths have various qualities, fuited to 

 different parts. But to this it may be (aid, that the 

 earth being more or lefs binding, or compofed of dif- 

 ferently conftrucled particles, occafions the parting 

 with the food committed to it, the more or lefs freely, 

 cr altered according to its various- modes of percolyiony 

 or (training. 



Water appears to have much to do in the fub* 

 fiftance of plants, for they con fume a great deal; and 

 either die, or are at a fland, when they are deprived 

 oi it, or at lealt of humidity from the air. It if 

 proved, that feeds and plants, and in fliort all fub* 

 ilances, confift chiefly of water, being reducible to 

 liquids in a great degree. 



Water (with refpect to vegetation) has been defined 

 to be, a mixed fluid, in which are all forts, of par- 

 tides proper for the compofition of plants. Rooted 

 trees have been fet m water at the fpnng, (as a rofe^ 

 and put forth leaves fair, though pale ; and it* is wall 

 known, that many flips and branches- of plants will 

 firike root in water, readily :. and. gathered flowers net 

 only keep frefti in it, but increaie in- fize, and bud* 

 alfo open. Hyacinths are very commonly blown in 

 water in warm room3 for an early blow. All feeds 

 "will germinate, and fome grow in it.. 



£ 5 The 



