139 



than a smaller. Therefore plants that have more or 

 larger vessels, draw more than those that have fewer 

 and smaller. 



But the greatest part of the water imbibed by plants 

 passes through their pores into the atmosphere. Hence 

 the least proportion of water expended is to the increase 

 of the plant, as 46 or 50 to one. In some it is 100, 

 200, nay in one 700 times as much as the increase of 

 the plant. 



Nor does this water pass off alone, but bears with 

 it many particles of the plant. The grosser indeed are 

 not so easily borne up into the atmosphere, but are 

 usually deposited on the surface of the flowers, leave? 5 

 or other parts of the plant. Hence our honey-dews, 

 and other gummous exudations. But the finer easily 

 ascend into the atmosphere, and are conveyed to our 

 organs for smell. 



Great part of the terrestrial matter mixt with the 

 water ascends into the plants. After the experiment, 

 there was much more of it in the glasses which had no 

 plants in them, than in those that had. Indeed, this 

 matter, being so fine and light, attends water in alt 

 its motions ; 10 that filtre it ever so often, gome will 

 rar.ain. 



The plant increases more or less as the water it stands 

 in, contains more or less of this matter. So the mint in 

 the glass C. was of much the same bulk and weight with 

 lho.se in A. and B* But standing in river-water, which 

 contained more terrestrial matter, than the spring or 

 rain water wherein they stood, it increased almost 

 double to either of them, yea, and ttith less expencc 

 of water. 



But all vegetable matter is not proper for the now. 

 rishment of every plant. Although some parts in all 

 may owe their supply to the same common matter, yet 

 others require a peculiar sort of matter, and cannot be 

 formed without it. Yea, different ingredients t,o to 

 the composition of one and the same plant. It there- 

 fore the soil wherein a plant is set, contains all or most 

 of those ingredients, it will grow there, otherwise not, 



