BOOK VIII. 



'OF VEGETABLES, 



CHAP. I. 



STRUCTURE OF VEGETABLES. 



General Otfer-vations on organized Bodies. Conjiituent Principles of 



Vegetable Matter. Structure of Plants. The Stem. The Bark 



The Wood. The Pith. The vafcalar Syjhm in Plants. Refpira- 

 iion of Plants. 3 hi Root. The Leaves. The Flower. The 

 Fruit. The Seed. Bonnet's Experiments. Perpendicular Growth 

 of Plants, Plants pi opa^jied by Slips, Sucker s, and Qjf- fits, 



A DISTINCTION has been eftablifhed by 

 philofophers, which is not deftitute of utility* 

 though it muft be confefTecl that in this, as in every 

 other inftance which regards the fyflem of nature, the 

 line of demarcation is fcarcely defined with fufEcient 

 precifion. All natural bodies have been clafied under 

 two grand divifions ; unorganized and organized bo- 

 dies. If the phrafe vegetable life might be freely ad- 

 rrjitted, it would be confident with correftnefs to term 

 the former the inanimate* and the latter the animated 

 parts of creation. Through the former of thefe re- 

 gions v/e have already travelled with fome diligence, 

 though it is to be apprehended not without pain and 

 difficulty to the reader : for an author is but feldom an 

 adequate judge of the degree of entertainment which 

 his labours are capable of affording to others. The 

 latter, which includes what the old writers denominate" 

 VOL* III, B the 



