VOL. XXI.] PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS. 3Q7 



and are furnished with fresh supplies and verdure. As the heat increases, it 

 grows too powerful, and hurries the matter with too great rapidity through the 

 finer and more tender plants. These therefore go off and decay, and others 

 that are more hardy and vigorous, and require a greater share of heat, succeed 

 in their order. By which mechanism provident nature furnishes us with a very 

 various and different entertainment ; and what is best suited to each season all 

 the year round. 



As the heat of the several seasons affords us a different face of things, so the 

 several distant climates show different scenes of nature, and productions' of the 

 earth. The hotter countries yield commonly the largest and tallest trees ; and 

 those too in much greater variety than the colder ever do. Even those plants 

 which are common to both attain to a much greater size in the southern than 

 in the northern climes. Nay there are some regions so bleak, and chill, that 

 they raise no vegetables at all to any considerable size ; and the very shrubs they 

 afford are few, little, and low. 



Again, in the warmer climates, and such as yield trees and the larger vegeta- 

 bles, if there happen a remission or diminution of the usual heat, their pro- 

 ductions will be impeded and diminished in proportion. Our late colder summers 

 have given us proof enough of this. For though the heat we have had was 

 sufficient to raise the vegetative matter into the lower plants, into our corns, as 

 wheat, barley, pease, and the like ; and though we may have plenty of straw- 

 berries, raspberries, currants, gooseberries, and the fruits of such other vegeta- 

 bles as are low and near the earth; and even a moderate store of cherries, mul- 

 berries, plums, filberts, and some others that grow at a somewhat greater 

 height ; yet our apples, pears, walnuts, and the productions of the taller* trees 

 have been fewer, and those not so kindly, or thoroughly ripened and brought 

 to that perfection they were in the former more benign and warm seasons. Nay 

 even the lower fruits and grains have had some share in ihe common calamity, 

 and fallen short both in number and goodness of what the hotter and kindlier 

 seasons were wont to show us. As to our grapes, apricots, peaches, nectarines,^ 

 and figs, being transplanted hither out of hotter climes, it is the less wonder we 

 have of late had so general a failure of them. 



Nor is it the sun, or the ordinary emission of the subterraneous heat only that 

 promotes vegetation, but any other heat indifferently, according to its power 

 and degree ; as we see by our stoves, hot-beds, and the like. All heat is of 



* The dwarf apple and pear trees have succeeded better. And indeed in trees of the same kind, 

 those that keep closest to the earth always produce the most and best fruit. For which reason it is 

 that the gardeners check and restrain the growth of their better fruit-trees, and prevent their running 

 up to too great a height. — Orig. 



