Chap. XIV. Of Change ^Species. 219 



be known of fuch of them, than that they are carried 

 away by the Atmofphere to a Diftance, accor lire? to 

 the Velocity of the Air; perhaps feveral Miles T, 

 at leaft, never like to return to the Spot of Ground 

 from whence the Plants have raifed them. 



But fuppofe thefe caft-off Particles * re, when 

 taken in, unfit for the Nourifhment of any manner 

 of Vegetables : Then the Doclor muft fanfy the Wheat 

 to be of a very fcrupulous Confcience, to feed on 

 thefe Particles, which were neither fit for its own 

 Nourifhment, nor of any other Plant ; and at the 

 fame time to forbear to take the Food of Barley, Peafe, 

 and Oats, letting that lie ftiil and undijturb'd the while* 

 as he fays it does, tho' he gives no manner of Reafon 

 for it. 



'Tis needlefs to bring ftronger Arguments, than the 

 Doctor's Experiments afford, againft his own vulgar 

 Opinion, of Plants diftinguifhing the particular Sore 

 of terreftrial Matter, that, he fays, is proper to each 

 Sort of Vegetable* in thefe Words ; viz. c Each Sort 

 ■ takes forth that peculiar Matter that is proper for its 

 t own N ou rifhment, the reft lying all quiet andundifturtfd 

 c the while. 



He fays, that great Part of the terreftrial Matter, 

 mixed with the Water, pafles up ; nto the Plant along 

 with it; which it could not do, 11 only the peculiar 

 Matter, proper to each Plant, did pais up into it: 

 And after he has fhewed how apt the vegetable Mat- 

 ter is to attend Water in all its Motions, and to fol- 

 low it into each of its RecefTes ; being by no Filia- 

 tions or Percolations wholly feparabie from it , 'tis 

 ftrang;e he mould think that each Plant leaves the 

 greater!: Part of it behind, fepara:ed from the Water 

 * which the Plant imbibes. 



plus for maintaining the Life of individual Plants, when (he has 

 provided luch an innumerable Overplus for continuing every 

 Species of Animals. 



There 



