Plants* 



. X. 



Of Vegetables or Plants 



NEXT to the earth itself, we may con- 

 sider those that are maintained on its 

 surface ; which though they are fastened 

 to it, yet are very distinct from it : and 

 those are the whole tribe of vegetables 

 or plants. These may be divided into 

 three sorts, herbs, shrubs^ and trees. 



Herbs are those plants, whose stalks 

 are soft, and have nothing woody in them, 

 as grass, sowthistle, and hemlock. Shrubs 

 and trees have all wood in them ; but 

 with this difference, that shrubs grow 

 not to the height of trees, and usually 

 spread into branches near the surface of 

 the earth ; whereas trees generally shoot 

 up in one great stem or body, and then, 

 at a good distance from the earth, spread 

 into branches ; thus, gooseberries and 

 currants, are shrubs ; oaks and cherries, 

 are trees. 



P2 



