324 Of Vegetation. 



But when, on the other hand, the crude 

 watry part of the nutriment bears too great a 

 proportion to the more noble principles either 

 in a too luxuriant ftate of a plant, or when 

 its roots are planted too deep, or it ftands in 

 too fhady a pofition, or in a very cold and wet 

 fummer; then it is found, that either no 

 fruit is produced, or if there be any, yet it 

 continues in a crude watry ftate; and never 

 comes to that degree of maturity, which a 

 due proportion of the more noble principles 

 would bring it to. 



Thus we find in this and every other part 

 of this beautiful fcene of things, when we 

 attentively confider them, that the great Au- 

 thor of nature has admirably tempered the 

 conftituent principles of natural bodies, in 

 fuch due proportions as might beft fit them 

 for the ftate and purpofes they were intended 

 for. 



It is very plain from many of the foregoing 

 Experiments and Obfervations, that the leaves 

 are very ferviceable in this work of Vegeta- 

 tion, by being inftrumental in bringing nou- 

 rifhment from the lower parts, within the 

 reach of the attraction of the growing fruit; 

 which, like young animals, is furnimed with 

 proper inftruments to fuck it thence. But 



the 



