That the aire has great irifi ue ncc in producing the 

 verdure of plants, may likewife not improbably be ar- 

 gued from the Lxpeumenrs of ^lanching,or whiting 

 the leaves of Ardchockes, Endive , Mirrhis,Cicho~ 

 ry, Alexanders , and other plants ; which is done by 

 warm keeping of them, vvithout the approach or fen- 

 timenc of the Coole and frefh aire;whereby all plants 

 thatorhervvLie w'ouid bear a green colour , become 

 exactly white. 



Hence it may likewife bee,th at the roots of moftVe- 

 getables that are under ground , and covered from the 

 aire, are white generally, whereas the item , and up- 

 per parts of them are ordinarily green , and many 

 rootes that are by nature of a peculiar colour, as Ra- 

 diihes, yet the point of the roote that is deepeftin 

 tlie ground , retaiiies a whiteneffe , as well as other 

 roots , being in chat part of the roote removed from 

 the airej the red part commonly (-landing above or juft 

 in the furface of the earth. 



Hence alfo it may be, that thofe leaves of Cabbages 

 gclettuce that are expanded in the free aire are green, 

 thofe that being covered with their fel loves : and fe- 

 cluded from the blafts of wind and weather,and kept 

 in a warme Covert , become as white as any thing 

 that is artificially blanch't. 



True it is that, there be plants that grow in the 

 bottome of waters , and fo cannot be fuppofed to have 

 this help from the aire , otberwifethan as the aire 

 chills the water , and the water having received this 

 qualitie from the aire , makes the like^ impreflion up- 

 on its domefti'que plants. ■ 



C H A P« 



