238 BERTHA'S VISIT TO HER 



wards, I perceived that the buds were beginning 

 to swell; their scales gradually separated, and 

 now there are some horse-chestnut leaves quite 

 opened out, and displaying the beautiful manner 

 in which they, and the embryo flower, were 

 folded up and preserved within those scaly cases 

 in the winter. I thought it very extraordinary 

 that they should have been supported merely by 

 water; but my uncle says that the principal 

 nourishment of all plants is derived from water. 

 The famous botanist Du Hamel reared an oak 

 tree for eight years in water only ; and a willow 

 planted by Van Helmont in a pot, increased fifty 

 pounds in weight in five years, though the earth, 

 which had been accurately weighed, was only 

 diminished by two ounces. 



In my collection of branches there were some 

 of lilac and of pear ; and on each of these, the 

 buds, which were hard, little greenish knobs when 

 first put in the water, have now burst open and 

 disclosed their cluster of miniature flower-biuls. 



We have all been most philosophically em- 

 ployed in dissecting and examining leaf-buds of 

 various trees : for my own part, I think that I 

 can distinctly see in most of them, that they pro- 

 ceed from the wood ; and in some I could plainly 

 trace the little communication that connects the 

 wood and the bud. But my uncle says we must 

 continue to study this subject for years before we 

 can venture to form a decided opinion. 



