24 



plants, the fecundation of the fruits of the female by 

 the dust of the flowers of the male, and had a dis- 

 tinct idea of the two sexes, as having place in different 

 individuals. 



5. Theophrasfus says, that trees may be distin- 

 guished into several classes on account of their great 

 variety, but that the most universal difference among 

 them is that of their gender, whether male, or fe- 

 inaie. And Aristotle observes, that we ought not to 

 fancy that the intermingling of sexes in plants is the 

 same as among animals. 



6". There w; re, it seems, various opinions among 

 the ancients as to the manner in which plants siiould 

 be admitted to have a difference of sex. Some looked 

 upon them as complete in that r spect, each indivi- 

 dual containing in itself the powers of both sexes. 

 Empedoclcs endeavoured to solve this, whether in 

 p <tn.s the male was distinct from the female ; or, 

 whether the texes wi-re united in each of the spe- 

 cies, and he conduct d, that piants were hermaphro* 

 <. itical ; that i, a composition of both sexes. Aris- 

 totle doubled, wh ther he ought to admit that tnc 

 two sexes combined in the same plant, or should 

 pronounce that they existed separately. 



7. True it is, this author errs widely in his man. 

 ner of disti'igtrbhint; the male from the female plant, 

 for he thought the dinvrenct: to consist in this, that 

 the male was l.jr^-i and stronger, the female weaker 

 but more fruitful, lie said also that the mate was 

 ni' 1 re dry, a u iame sooa t to maturity than the fe* 

 nia.e. B"t ii should ue observed, it is not upon the 

 t*'sumo:y ^t Aristotle that we attempt to shew the 

 auci, n- s knew it ho sexual system of plants. This 

 is wtiai only appears confusedly in his writings ; for 

 he t-uiploys hiiittelf rather in giving the sentiments 

 iiaa in advancing reasons of his own. 



