140 Vegetable Staticks. 



thered fome time before it is ripe, will ri- 

 pen fooner than if it had hung on the tree, 

 tho' it will not be fo good ; becaufe in thefe 

 cafes the worm-eaten fruit is deprived of part 

 of its nourishment, and the green-gathered 

 fruit of all. 



And for the fame reafon fome fruits are 

 fooner ripe towards the tops of the trees, 

 than the other fruit on the fame tree; viz. 

 not only becaufe they are more expofed to 

 the fun ; but alfo, becaufe being at a greater 

 diilance from the root, they have fomewhat 

 lefs nourifhment. 



And this is, doubtlefs, one reafon why 

 plants and fruits are forwarder in dry, fandy, 

 or gravelly foils, than in moifler foils; viz. 

 not only, becaufe thofe foils are warmer, 

 on account of their drinefs; but alfo, be- 

 caufe lefs plenty of moifture is conveyed up 

 the plants; which plenty of moifture, tho' 

 it promotes their growth, yet retards their 

 coming to maturity. And for the fame rea- 

 fon, the uncovering the roots of trees for 

 fome time, will make the fruit be confiderably 

 the forwarder. 



And on the other hand, where trees abound 

 with too great a plenty of frefli-drawn fap, 

 as is the cafe of trees whofe roots are planted 



too 



