OF PLANTS. 207 



stems of these classes of plants, are set, at certain intervals, 

 with joints. These joints are not found in the trunks of 

 trees, or in the solid stalks of plants. There may be other 

 uses of these joints; but the fact is, and it appears to be, 

 at least, one purpose designed by them, that they corrobo- 

 rate the stem ; which, by its length and hollowness, ^vould, 

 otherwise, be too liable to break or bend. 



Grasses are Nature's care. With these she clothes the 

 earth ; with these she sustains its inhabitants. Cattle feed 

 upon their leaves ; birds upon their smaller seeds ; men 

 upon the larger ; for, few readers need be told that the 

 plants, which produce our bread-corn belong to this class. 

 In those tribes, which are more generally considered as 

 grasses, their extraordinary means and powers of preserva- 

 tion and increase, their hardiness, their almost uncon- 

 querable disposition to spread, their faculties of revivis- 

 cence, coincide with the intention of nature concerning 

 them. They thrive under a treatment by which other 

 plants are destroyed. The more their leaves are consum- 

 ed, the more their roots increase. The more they are 

 trampled upon, the thicker they grow. Many of the seem- 

 ingly dry and dead leaves of grasses revive, and renew 

 their verdure, in the spring. In lofty mountains, where 

 the summer heats are not sufficient to ripen the seeds, 

 grasses abound, which are viviparous, and consequently 

 able to propagate themselves without seed. It is an obser- 

 vation, likewise, which has often been made, that herbi- 

 vorous animals attach themselves to the leaves of grasses ; 

 and, if at liberty in their pastures to range and choose, 

 leave untouched the stravrs which support the flowers.* 



The general properties of vegetable nature, or properties 

 comrflon to large portions of that kingdom, are almost all 

 which the compass of our argument allows to bring for- 

 ward. It is impossible to follow plants into their several 

 species. We may be allowed, however, to single out three 

 or four of these species as worthy of a particular notice, 

 either by some singular mechanism, or by some peculiar 

 provision, or by both. 



In Dr. Darwin's Botanic Garden, (line 395, note,) is the 

 following account of the vaUisiicria, as it has been observ- 

 ed in the river Rhone. (PI. XXXV. fig. 1, 2, 3.) ''They 

 have roots at the bottom of the Rhone. The flowers of 

 the female plant float on the surface of the water, and are 



* With. Bot. Arr. vol. i. p. 2S. ed. 2d. 



