Sect. VT. Agriculture and Vegetation. 



of fruit, owing to the ftrong attachment 

 fubfifting between them and water, I have 

 often been led to think, that the vegetative 

 power of plants, nay their particular forms 

 of vegetation, were owing to that vegetative 

 power inherent in their falts. In effect, we 

 fee that vegetative power ftrongeft when 

 moft fait enters their veffels ; that is to fay, 

 in the fpring. 



THUS I have endeavoured to account for 

 the effects of manures on the different foils, 

 and for the rife and changes of the vege- 

 table food in the veflels of plants, from 

 thofe remarkable attractions and affinities 

 which the Author of all has endued the 

 fmaller particles of matter with, Thefe 

 are not, as is commonly imagined, mere 

 paffive bodies; but active, vigorous, and 

 capable of producing thole changes by 

 which nature is fupported. I have de- 

 monftrated thefe affinities by experiment j 

 I have afTumed no other principles ; I have 

 built my whole plan on thefe; I hope, 

 N 3 there- 



