238 



CHAPTER XX, 



OF THE PECULIAR FUNCTIONS OF THE STAMENS 

 AND PISTILS, WITH THE EXPERIMENTS AND OB- 

 SERVATIONS OF LINNJEUS AND OTHERS ON THAT 

 ' SUBJECT. 



1 HE real use of the Stamens of Plants was long a 

 subject of dispute among philosophers, till Linnus, 

 according to the general opinion at present, explained 

 it beyond a possibility of doubt. -! Still there are not 

 wanting persons who from time to time start objec- 

 tions, prompted either by a philosophical pursuit of 

 truth, or an ambitious desire of distinguishing them- 

 selves in controverting so celebrated a doctrine, as 

 some have written against the circulation of the animal 

 blood. I propose to trace the history of this doctrine, 

 and especially to review the facts and experiments 

 upon which Linnaeus founded ias opinion, as well as 

 the objections it has had to encounter. It would be 

 endless, and altogether superfluous, to bring forward 

 new facts in its support, nor shall I do so, except 

 where new arguments may render such a measure ne- 

 cessary. 



- The Stamens and Pistils of flowers have, from the 

 most remote antiquity, been considered as of great im- 

 portance in perfecting the fruit. The Date Palm, from 



