PREFPASE E. Vii 
cipate Part of the Subject- Matter of the follow- 
ing Chapters. 
It will be feen in the Courfe of this Work, 
that the Flowers of the Generality of Vegetables 
are Hermaphrodite, containing within them the 
Characters of both Sexes; but that in the Claffes 
Moneecia and Diaecia, the Sexes are parted, and 
allotted to different Flowers; and that in the 
Clafs Diéoecia in particular, the Sexes are even on 
different Plants, the Male Flowers growing all 
upon one Plant, and the Female upon another. 
Now this laft Circumftance the Ancients had ob- 
ferved : indeed it could hardly efcape their No- 
tice; for the Palm-Tree, whofe Fruit was in 
Efteem, being of the Clafs Dioecia, a very little 
Obfervation was requifite to teach them, that 
in thefe Trees the Flowers of the Male were ne- 
ceflary to ripen the Fruit of the Female. Ac- 
cordingly we find, in the Account given by He- 
rodotus * of the Country about Babylon, where. 
thefe Trees are in plenty, that it was a Cuftom 
with the Natives, in their Culture of this Plant, 
to affift the Operations of Nature, by gathering 
the Flowers of the Male Trees, and carrying 
* Book the Firft. 
them 
