• OF THE LEAVES, &C. 89 



table Statics, giving an account of an experiment 

 he instituted to prove the use of leaves in plants, 

 says, " That boughs of trees with leaves on them, 

 *' placed in glasses containing known quantities 

 " of water, imbibed, some twenty, some thirty 

 " ounces in twenty hours, day, more or less, 

 " in proportion to the quantity of leaves they 

 " had, and when he weighed them at night they 

 " were lighter than in the morning ; while those 

 " without leaves, imbibed but one ounce, and 

 ** were heavier in the evening than in the morn- 

 " ing, they having perspired little." 



This eminent author also says, " It is plain, 

 " from the many experiments and observations 

 *< before mentioned, that leaves are very ser- 

 " viceable in this work of vegetation, by being 

 " instrumental in bringing nourishment from the 

 *< lowest part within the reach of the attraction 

 " of the growing fruit ; which, like young ani- 

 *' mals, are furnished with proper instruments to 

 *' suck it thence. But the leaves seem also de- 

 " signed for many other noble and important 

 " services, for nature admirably adapts her in- 

 " struments, so as to be at the same time service- 

 " able to many good purposes." 



Mrs. Ibbetson cites a number of experiments 

 she made, to prove that plants do not perspire : 

 she, however, admits that plants continually give 



