102 Vegetable Staticks. 



Experimen t XXXII. 



We have a further proof of the great 

 force with which vegetables imbibe moi- 

 fture, in the following Experiment, viz. I 

 filled near full with Peas and Water, the 

 iron Pot (Fig. 37.) and laid on the Peas a 

 leaden cover, between which and the fides 

 of the Pot, there was room for the air which 

 came from the Peas to pafs freely. I then 

 laid 184 pounds weight on them, which (as 

 the Peas dilated by imbibing the water) 

 they lifted up. The dilatation of the Peas 

 is always equal to the quantity of Water 

 they imbibe : For if a few Peas be put in- 

 to a VeiTel, and that Veflel be filled full of 

 water, tho' the Peas dilate to near double 

 their natural fize, yet the water will not 

 flow over the veiTel, or at moft very incon- 

 fiderably, on account of the expanfion of 

 little air-bubbles, which are hTuing from the 

 Peas. 



Being defirous to try whether they would 

 raife a much greater weight, by means of a 

 lever with weights at the end of it, I com- 

 prefTed feveral frefh parcels of Peas in the 

 fame Pot, with a force equal to 1600, 800, 

 and 400 pounds; in which Experiments, tho* 



the 



