fO ' fftlLOSOPHICAL TKAK9ACTIONS. [aNNO 1703. 



of this sort, and have met with some such hints as make me not despair of being 

 able, in a short time, to give the world even this satisfaction. For, not to 

 insist upon this, that the seminal plant always lies in that part of the seed 

 which is nearest to the insertion of this stylus, or some propagation of it into 

 the seed vessel; I have discovered in beans and peas and phaseoli, just under 

 one extremity of what is called the eye, a manifest perforation, discernible by 

 the larger magnifying glasses, v\hich leads directly to the sennnal plant, and 

 at which I suppose the seminal plant entered ; and I am apt to think, that the 

 beans or peas which do not thrive, will be found destitute of it. 



But I must now proceed to describe some other plants, by which it will ap- 

 pear, that there is always a particular care exercised to convey this powder, so 

 often mentioned, into a tube, which may convey it to the ova. Now in legu- 

 minose plants, if we carefully take off the petala of the flower, we shall discover 

 the siliqua or pod, closely covered with an involving membrane ; which about 

 the top separates into many stamina, each fraught with its quantity of farina ; 

 and these stamina are close bound upon the brush, which is observable at the 

 extremity of that tube, which here also leads directly to the pod : it stands not 

 upright indeed, but so bended, as to make near a right angle with it. 



In roses there stands a column, consisting of many tubes closely clung to- 

 gether, though easily separable, each leading to its particular cell, having the 

 stamina in great nun^bers planted all round. In tithymalus, or spurge, there 

 arises a tricoccous vessel, that, while it is small and not easily discernible, lies 

 at the bottom, till it is impregnated ; but afterwards it grows up, and stands 

 so high on a tall pedicle of its own, as would incline one to think, that 

 there were to be no communion between this and the apices, which he sees 

 dying below. 



In strawberries and raspberries, the hairs which grow upon the ripe fruit are 

 so many tubes, each leading to its particular seed; and therefore we may ob- 

 gei^e, that in the first opening of the flower, there stands a ring of stamina 

 within the petala ; and the whole inward area appears like a little wood of these 

 hairs or pulp, which, when they have received and conveyed their globules, the 

 seeds swell and rise in a carnous pulp. 



From this theory I shall content myself at present with suggesting, that 

 hence one would conclude, that the petala* of the flower were rather designed 

 to sever superfluous juices from what was left to ascend in the stamina, than 

 the stamina to perform this oflice, either for them, or the unimpregnated se- 

 mina. And observe the analogy between animal and vegetable generation, as 

 far as was necessary there should be an agreement between them. 



* In the Lintuean sexual Byttem of botany, the petals are supposed to lerve merely a^ a corering 

 or protection to the itamina and pistilla. 



