6 Of Roots and Leaves. Chap. I. 



there, they muft foon come to an End. But the 

 Truth is, that after a few Inches, they are not dif- 

 cernibly taper, but pafs on to their Ends very nearly 

 of the lame Bignefs ; this may be feen in Roots grow- 

 ing in Water, and in fome other, tho' with much 

 Care and Difficulty. 



In pulling up the aforemention'd Turneps, their 

 Roots feem'd to end at few Inches Diftance from the 

 Plants, they being, farther oft, too fine to be per- 

 ceiv'd by ordinary Obfervation. 



I found an extreme fmall Fibre on the Side of a 

 Carrot, much lefs than a Hair ^ but thro' a Micro- 

 fcope it appear'd a large Root, not taper, but bro- 

 ken off fhort at the End, which it is probable might 

 have (before broken off) extended near as far as the 

 tfumep Roots did. It had many Fibres going out of 

 it, and I have feen that a Carrot will draw Nourish- 

 ment from a great Diftance, tho' the Roots are al- 

 moft invifible, where they come out of the Carrot 



fcfelf. 



By the Piece F Plate 6. may be feen, that thofe 

 Roots cannot penetrate, unlefs the Land be open'd 

 by Tillage, &c. 



As Animals of different Species have their Guts 

 bearing different Proportions to the Length of their 

 Bodies ; fo 'tis probable, different Species of Plants 

 may have their Roots as different. But if thofe which 

 have fhorter Roots have more in Number, and hav- 

 ing fet down the means how to know the Length of 

 them in the Earth, I leave the different Lengths of 

 different Species to be examin'd by thofe who will 

 take the Pains of more Trials. This is enough for 

 me, that there is no Plant commonly propagated, but 

 what will fend out its Roots far enough, to have the 

 Benefit of all the ho'd Spaces or Intervals 1 in the 

 following Chapters allot them, even tho' they mould 



u<y: have Roots fo long as their Stalks or Stems. 



And 



