84 MEMOIR OF 



the sap in trees, and relating to the circulation of 

 the same, dated York, January 25, 167?> in which 

 he says, that he was " actuated in his experiments 

 by hopes of improving the notion of winter 

 bleedings, so happily discovered by Mr Willughby 

 and Mr Kay," and which succeeded so well that 

 he " afterwards engaged himself in keeping a 

 journal throughout the whole winter." The 

 experiments of Mr Willughby and Mr Ray were 

 verified and extended by Dr Ezekiel Tonge ; also 

 by Richard Reed, Esq. as appears in a letter 

 dated March 14, 167?> at Lugwardine ; also by 

 Dr John Beal, May 13, 1671. These discoveries 

 also suggested inquiries on the subject in Italy, 

 as appears from the Philosophical Transactions, 

 August 14th, 1671. 



Dr Ezekiel Tonge stated, that the results of 

 his experiments did not coincide, in some respects, 

 with those of Mr Willughby and Mr Ray. 

 Accordingly Mr Willughby wrote in a letter, 

 dated Middleton, in Warwickshire, March 12, 

 I6y, explaining the causes of the disagreement; 

 such as their being made in a different season, 

 c. and intimating his intention to prosecute 

 these experiments in the ensuing year. 



It should seem, that these experimentalists 

 had, like the rest of the world till lately, not 

 considered the distinction whether the sap is 

 quiescent, or whether it flows, before perforations 

 are made in a tree, neither took sufficiently 

 into consideration the principle of life in vege- 

 .able bodies. At all events, it may be safely 



