P^I N.C I P V E S O E rV E G E T A T I O N. 3j,j 



fluids that a^hjally poifon them. From this circuQiftance it may be fairlf 

 conbTuckd, that they have not, like animals, the fagacity of choofing 

 the food that is moft proper for nourifhing them, and rejecting that 

 ■which is either noxious or lefs nourilliing. ^;- 



^"'Tha't the earth may fupply a variety of juices is undeniable; that; a 

 plaiit itiiy have pores too narrow to admit fome is alfo undeniable : but 

 it feems to me that fomewhat alfo is to be attributed to that kind of juice 

 to which the plant has been accullomed ; for we know that if a number 

 df Woi-fted threads be hpng in a bafon of oil, fo that they abforb the oil, 

 arfd it run through them, they will not in like manner imbibe water ^ the 

 oiftl^y "contain forbids it; "if they are fqueezed never fo dry, fo that 

 apfiare'ntly the oil were gone from them, yet what little remains will .un- 

 iRt'thi)fe threads for the abforption of "water : the fame occurs if they had 

 been imbued with water, they will refufe to tranfmit oil. May it not then 

 be, that one effed of the pulpy part of the feed has been to accufton> 

 the fibres of the feminal root to fuch a juice as fuits its nature? or have 

 not thofe fibres drawn from (perhaps through) that pulp a juice tinged 

 or contarninated with its own properties, and thereby partly, concodred 

 for the alirnent of the plant ? to which being habituated and thoroughly 

 drendled in it, it ever after admits paffage to thofe only which are of a 

 fimi^i* nature. Thus a poifonous {ecd accuftoms its oflfspring-fibres 

 to a 'pbifonous juice, and perpetuates their properties. In an earth which 

 does not furnifh fuch ^a juice ; the plant will not thrive, if it will live; 

 which perhaps it iwiaj, by aflimilating fuch innocent juices as it procures, 

 fo far as it can, to its own nature, which yet may not be far enough to 

 perfedl its properties : whence that may. be deadly in one foil which in 

 another is only noxious, or that noxj[o.us la one which in another is only 

 infipid ; and with this feems to agree the analogy of mod vegetable poi- 

 fons, which often by tranfplantarionlofe their moft lively properties ] and 

 the variation of plants, corn, &c. which ..ip one foil fiouriOi, perhaps 

 improve, in another degenerate; this caufe then traces their properties 

 to their origin, and (hews the nature impreffed upon them; which pro- 

 bably is prcferved by a greater or hfs niiniber of each plant refpecflively 

 always occupying a portion of earth where it meets with juices adapted 

 to its maintenance in full vigour. It is natural, to fuppofe that after 

 havin-g pafled through fo great a number of canals and paffages between, 

 the root and the branches (and perhaps acquiring, a tinge from m.any ir^, 

 its progrefs), it ihould be highly impregnated ere it arrive at the fruit i, 

 where, iihddfpecially;iri;, the feeds of that fruit, it fhould jundergo tb'p:. 



