A I 



by the Roots, but alfo through 

 tne Surface of their Trunks and 

 Leaves^ elpecially at Night, when 

 they are changed from a pcr- 

 fpiring, to a flrongly imbibing 

 State. 



Mr. Hales likewife tells us, that 

 in all thofe Experiments that he 

 try'd to this Purpofe, he found, 

 that the ^ir entrtd very flowly at 

 the Bark of young Shoots and 

 Branches, but much more freely 

 thro' old Barkj and that, in diffe- 

 rent Kinds of Trees, it had diffe- 

 rent Degees of more or lefs free 

 Entrance. 



And likewife, that there is fbme 

 Air both in an elaflick and un- 

 elaftick State mix'd with the 

 Earth (which may well enter the 

 Roots with the Nourifhment^ he 

 found by feveral Experiments, 

 which he gives in the before 

 mentioned Treatife. 



The Air is very inllrumental in 

 the Produdlion and Growth of 

 Vegetables, both by invigorating 

 their feveral Juices, while in an 

 claftick aftive State, and alfo by 

 greatly contributing in a fix'd 

 State, to the Union and firm 

 Connexion of the feveral conftituent 

 Parrs of thofe Bodies, viz.. their 

 W^ter, Fire, Salt, and Earth. 



To conclude, by reafbn of thofe 

 Properties of the Air before-men- 

 tioned, it is very fervic cable to 

 Vegetables, in that it blows up, 

 and breaks open the Clouds, 

 thofe Treafurcs of Rain, which 

 fertilizes the vegetable Kind. 



The Air alfo helps to wafte 

 away or difperfe thofe foggy humid 

 Vapours, which arife from the 

 Earth, and would oi her wife Magnate, 

 and poifon the whole Face of the 

 Earth. 



The Air, by the Afllftancc of the 

 Sjfi^, allumes and fublimates thofe 



Ah 



Vapours into the upper Regions ; 

 and thefe foggy humid Vapours are, 

 by this Sublimation, and the co- 

 ercive Power of the Air and Sun, 

 rarefied and made of fecond Ufe in 

 Vegetation. 



And, on the contrary, to the 

 benign Quality of the Air, which 

 is fo many Ways fublervient to 

 Vegetables i fo it is alfo fometimes, 

 and upon fome Accounts, injurious 

 and pernicious to them j not only 

 to the ligneous, herbaceous, and 

 flowery Parts above, but alfo to 

 the Roots and Fibres below : For 

 in that the uHr penetrates into the 

 Earth, it is eafy to be concluded, 

 that a dry, husky, fcorching Air 

 may be very prejudicial to the 

 tender Fibres of new-planted Trees. 



it may be likewife fuppos'd, 

 that all Bodies of Earth are more or 

 lefs capable of imbibing the fuid 

 Air, and of attracting fuch Salts, as 

 either the Air can give, or the 

 £arth is capable of receiving. 



ALATERNOIDES 3 a Sort of 

 Alaternus. 



The Chara^ers arej 



This differs from the Alaternus, in 

 having three Seeds joined together in 

 the Manner of the Tithymalus, ( or 

 Spurge ) whereas the Alaternus has 

 three Seeds inclofed -with one common 

 Covering, and appears to be a fingle 

 Berry, 'till it is opened. 



There are at prefent but three 

 Species of this Plant known in the 

 Englijh Gardens, viz. 



1. ALATERNOiDfsj Africana, 

 Lauri ferrat£ folio. Com.prA. The 

 African Alaternoidef, with ferratcd 

 Bay-leaves. 



2. Alaterwoides; Africans, Iri' 

 csi foliis, Jlorikus albicantibus ^ 

 mufcofis. H. Amfi. The African 

 Alaternoides, with Leaves like the ( 

 Heath, and white Flowers. 



J. Ala- J 



