146 ABSORPTION OF LEAVES. 



the Great Mallow (probably M. sylvestris, t. 671), 

 the Nettle, Cock's-comb, and Purple-leaved Amaranth 

 (probably Amarantkus hypochondriacus), lived longest 

 with their upper surface laid upon the water. The 

 Nettle lived but three weeks with its under surface on 

 the water, and about two months in a contrary position. 

 The Mullein scarcely survived five or six days, and the 

 Amaranth not a week, in the first-mentioned posture, 

 while the leaves of the former remained in vigour about 

 five weeks, and of the latter three months, when their 

 upper surfaces imbibed the water. Marvel of Peru 

 and Balm, the two remaining plants of the fourteen on 

 which the experiment was made, had also an evident 

 advantage in receiving that fluid by their upper surfaces. 

 The leaves of some of the above species were found to 

 thrive better when their stalks only were immersed in 

 water, than when either of their sides was supplied with 

 it, and the reverse was observable in several others ; 

 but the White Mullein, the Plantain and the Amaranth 

 survived longer when they received the water by their 

 stalk than by their under surface, though not so long 

 as when it was applied to their upper sides. 



Of sixteen trees tried by Bonnet, the Lilac and the 

 Aspen, Populus tremula, were . the only leaves that 

 seemed to imbibe water equally well by either surface, 

 whilst all the others evidently succeeded best with their 

 under sides laid upon the water, being in that respect 

 the reverse of herbaceous plants. Of these the White 

 Mulberry leaf was the most remarkable, not living 



