236 PROCESS OF DEVELOPEMENT. CHAP. IV. 



superstructure of the doctrine of the circulation of 

 the vegetable juices. 



SECTION III. 

 Circulation of Vegetable Juices. 



According AFTER the discovery of the circulation of the 

 earlie^ blood of animals, phytologists, who were fond of 

 gists 010 " tnnnrig analogies between the animal and vegetable 

 kingdoms, began to think that there perhaps existed 

 in plants also, a circulation of fluids. There was 

 not indeed any visible apparatus corresponding 

 respectively to the stomach, intestines, lacteals, and 

 heart of animals, the main spring of the circulation 

 of the blood ; but the defect was supplied in the 

 best way possible. The root was regarded as cor- 

 responding both to the mouth and stomach of 

 animals, and as effecting some peculiar change 

 upon the fluid absorbed, that fitted it for the direct 

 nourishment of the plant ; as well as possessing 

 also the power of propelling the digested fluid, 

 impregnated with the principles of nutrition, 

 growth, and developement, to the very summit of 

 the leaf, from which it was again returned to the 

 root, where, mingling with the newly digested fluid, 

 it was again propelled to the summit as before, and 

 a circulation thus kept up. The vessels in which 

 it was propelled to the summit of the plant were 

 denominated arteries ; and the vessels in which 



