TO BOTANY. 13 
following Manner. The Anthere, which at 
‘the firft opening of the Flower are whole, 
burft open foon after, and difcharge the Pol- 
len ; which difperfing itfelf about the Flower, 
Part of it lodges on the Surface of the Stig- 
ma, where it is detained by the Moifture 
with which that Part is covered ; and each 
fingle Grain or Atom of the Pollen burfting 
and diffolving in this Liquor, as it has been 
obferved to do by the Microfcope, is fup- 
pofed to difcharge fomething that impreg- 
nates the Germen below: What the Sub- 
ftance is that is fo difcharged, and whether 
it actually pafles through the Style into the 
Germen, feems yet undetermined, it being 
difficult to obferve fuch minute Parts: but 
whatever be the Operation by which Nature 
produces the Effe&t in Queftion, the Caufe, 
as far as it has been here explained, is fcarce 
difputable ; and accordingly we fee, that after 
this Impregnation, when the Parts of the 
Flower that have done their Office are fallen 
away, the Germen {wells to a Fruit big with 
Seeds, by which the Species is propagated. 
The Piftillum being, as I have faid, the Fe- 
male Part of the Flower, is of great Con- 
fequence in the fexual Syftem, as well as the 
Male Part; as will appear when the Syftem 
comes to be explained. 
C HAP. 
