366 MEMOIRS?//*^ 
vitriol, allnm, nitre, fpar, oker, ^c. nay, frequently feveral of 
thele or other minerals, are all in the fame fpring : For further 
fatisfa6tion herrin, put water into a clear glafs phial, flopping it 
clofe to keep duft and other extraneous matter out, and let it ftand 
without ftirrms for fome days, you will then find a confiderable 
quantity of terreftrial particles in the water, however pure and free 
it mi^ht appear when firft put into the phial ; and in a very fhort 
time you may oblervethe corpulcles, that were, whilft the water 
was agitated, feparate and hardly vifible, by degrees, as it is more 
at reft, aflemble and combine together, by that means forming 
fomcwhat larger and more confpicuous Mohculcej afterwards, 
thefe again uniting, and faftening to each other, form large thin 
mafifes, appearing like NubeculdP^ or clouds in the water, which 
grow more thick and opake by the continual appulfe of frefh 
matter 5 and if the faid matter be chiefly of the vegetable kind, it 
will be fuftained in the water, and difcover at length a green 
colour, becoming ftill more green, as the matter thickens and 
increalesj but if there be any confiderable quantity of mere mine- 
ral matter in the water, this being of a greater fpecific gravity 
than the vegetable, as its particles unite to form Molecul<ey their 
impetus of gravity muft furpafs that of the refiftance of the water, 
and a great deal thereof fubfide to the bottom, and being fre- 
quently intangled in the vegetable Nuhecul<e, muft force them 
down therewith: Now the queftion is, to which of thefe, 
whether the water, or the earthy matter fuftained therein, vege- 
tables owe their growth and increafe ? For deciding of which the 
following experiments may afford Ibme light, having been made 
with due care and exaftnels. 
The Doctor chofe ieveral glafs-phials, that were all, as near 
as poflible, of the fame ihape and bignefs^ after putting what 
water he thought fit into every one of them, and taking an account 
of the weight thereof, he tied dole over the orifice of each phial 
a piece of parchment, with a hole in the middle, large enough to 
admit the ftem of the plant he defigned to let therein, without 
ftraitening it ib as to impede its growth j the Do£lor's intention in 
this, was to prevent the incloled water from evaporating, or 
alcending by any other way than thro' the plant that is to be let 
therein; then he made choice of feveral fprigsof mint, and other 
plants that were, as near as he could pcfTibly judge, equally 
frefh, found, and lively, and having taken the weight of each, 
he placed it in a phial, ordered as above 5 and as the plant im- 
bibed, and drew off the water, the Doctor took care to add more 
of the lame from time to time, keeping an account of the weight 
of 
