12 Of Roots and Leaves. Chap. I. 



ber had the Salt, Garlick, and Ink offer'd to 

 them. 



The fixth Mint fhews, that when new Earth it 

 apply'd to the old Roots, a Plant fends out new Roots 

 onPurpofeto feed on it: And that the more Earth is 

 given it, the more Roots will be form'd, by the new 

 Vigour the Plant takes from the Addition of Earth. 

 This correfponds with the Action of Hoing •, for 

 every time the Earth is mov'd about Roots, they 

 have a Change of Earth, which is new to them. 



The feventh Mint proves, that there is fuch a 

 Communication betwixt all the Roots, that when any 

 of them have Water, they do impart a Share thereof 

 to all the reft : And that the Root of the lower Joint 

 of this Mint had Parages (or VefTels) leading from 

 them, through the Stalk, to the Roots of the upper 

 Joint ; tho' the clear Stalk ( through which it mull; 

 have pafs'd ) that was betwixt thefe two Joints, was 

 feveral Inches in Length. 



This accounts for the great Produce of long tap- 

 rooted Plants, fuch as Lufern and St. Foin, in very- 

 dry Weather: for the Earth atagreat Depth is always 

 moid:. It accounts alfo for the good Crops we have 

 in dry Summers, upon Land that has a Clay Bottom; 

 for there the Water is retain'd a long time, and the 

 lower Roots of Plants which reach it, do, like thofe 

 of this Mint, fend ud a Share to all the higher Roots. 



If thofe Roots of a Plant, which lie at the Surface 

 of i\\Q Ground, did not receive Moifture from other 

 Roots, which lie deeper, they could be of no Ufe in 

 dry Weather. But 'tis certain, that if this dry Surface 

 be mov'dor dung'd, the Plant will be found togrow 

 the fader, tho' no Rain falls ; which feems to prove, 

 both that the deep Roots communicate to the (hallow 

 a Share of their Water, and receive in Return from 

 them a Share of Food," in common with all the reii 

 of the Plant, as id the Mints they did. 



The 



