Chap. II. Of Food of Plants. ij 



too, in Vol. I. pag. 72. " Putrefaction refolves it 

 " again into Earth, its fir ft Principle." 



The Weight of the Tree, even when green, mull 

 confift of Earth arid Water. Air could be no Part of 

 it, becaufe Air being of no greater fpecific Gravity 

 than the incumbent Atmofphere, could not be of any 

 Weight in it ; therefore was no Part of the One 

 hundred Sixty-nine Pounds Three Ounces. 



Nature has directed Animals and Vegetables to 

 feek what is moff neceffary to them. At the Time 

 when the Fcetus has a Necefllty of Refpiration, 'tis 

 brought forth into the open Air, and then the Lungs 

 are filled with Air. As foon as a Calf, Lamb, &c. 

 is able to ftand, it applies to the Teat for Food, with- 

 out any Teaching. In like manner Mr. Bradley re- 

 marks, in his Vol. I. pag. 10. ' That almoft every 

 4 Stem and every Root are formed in a bending man- 



* ner under Ground -, and yet all thefe Stems become 

 4 ftrait and upright when they come above-ground, 



* and meet the Air ; and mod Roots run as directly 

 c . downwards, and fhun the Air as much as pofiible.' 



Can any thing more plainly fhew the Intent of 

 Nature, than this his Remark dots? viz. That the Air 

 is mod neceffary to the Tree above ground * to purify 

 the Sap by the LeaveSj as the Blood of Animals is 

 depurated by their Lungs : And that Roots feek the 

 Earth for their Food, and fhun the Air, which would 

 dry up and deftroy them. 



No one Truth can pofllbly contradict or interfere 

 with any other Truth ; but one Error may contra- 

 dict and interfere with another Error, viz. 



Mr. Bradley , and all Authors, I think, are of Opi- 

 nion, that Plants of different Natures are fed by a 

 different Sort of Nourifhment ; from whence they 

 aver, that a Crop of Wheat takes up all that is pe- 

 culiar to that Grain •, then a Crop of Barley all that is 

 proper to it ; next a Crop of Peafe, and fo on, 'till 

 each has drawn off all thofe Particles which are proper 

 C to 



