Royal Society. 377 
at fbme times contains a greater /hare of terreflrial matter, tlian 
that which falls at others 3 a more powerful and intenie heat mull: 
needs carry up a laraer quantity of that matter with the humid 
vapours that form rain, than one more feeble and remils ever pol- 
fibly can 5 the water in one fpring may flow out with an higher 
charge of this matter, than that of another, thus depending 
partly upon the quantity of the ebullition ot the water, and 
partly upon the quickneis of the ebullition of the water, and 
partly upon the quantity of that matter, latent in the Strata, thro' 
which the fluid paffes, and the greater or Icls laxity of thofe 
Strata-^ for the lame realbn, the water of one river may abound 
with it more than that of another j nay, rhe lame river, when 
much agitated, muft bear up more of it, than when it moves 
with leis rapidity and violence : That there is a great quantity of 
this matter in rivers, and that it contributes vaftly to the fertility 
of the earth, we have an illuilrious inilance in the Nile, the 
Ganges, and other rivers, that yearly overflow the neighbouring 
plains, which thereby fliew the faireil and largeft crops of any in 
the whole world. 7. Water ferves only for a vehicle to the ter- 
reflrial matter, which forms vegetables, and dees not itfelf, make 
any addition to them 5 where the proper terreflrial matter is 
wanting, the plant is not augmented, tho' never fo much water 
afcends into it ; the Cataputia in E took up more water than the 
mint in C, and yet bad grown but very little, having received 
only 5 I grains of additional weighty whereas that in C had 
received no lefs than 16 grains 5 the mint m I was planted in the 
fame fort of waier, as that in K was, only that the letter had 
earth diffolved in the water, and yet the former drew oft 15 140 
grains of the water, gaining itlelf no more than 139 grains m 
weight; whereas, that in K attraded but- 10751 grains of water, 
and was augmented 16% grains in weight, conlequcnt y the for- 
mer Ipent 2400 grains more of the water, than this in K did, and 
vet was not {o much increaled m weight as this by 29 grains 5 
the mint in M flood in the very lanne kind ot water, as that in 
N did : but the water in M having much lels terreilnal matter m 
it, than that in N had, the plant bore up 880; grains, itlelf 
gaining the while only 41 grains; whereas that in N attracled no 
more than 4344 ^^rains, and yet was augmented 9^J.\^:f^'^ 1^ 
that it fpent 4459 grains of water more than that m N ^iid 5 and 
yet was notitielf fo much incred^d in weight as that in N by 
5. grains; this is both a very far and a very conclufive jnftance 
that water IS not the matter that compofes vegetable bodies, but 
is the agent that convevs that matter to them, that introduces and 
VoLTill. Bbb diltri. 
