Of Vegetation. 33 ^ 



withftanding their being diftended, from the 

 like effect in melted glafs-tubes, which retain 

 a hollownefs, tho' drawn out to the fineft 

 thread. 



The whole progrefs of the firft joint r is 

 very fhort in comparifon of the other joints, 

 becaufe at firft fetting out its leaves being 

 very fmall, and the feafon yet cooler than 

 afterwards, 'tis probable that but little fan 

 is conveyed to it ; and therefore it extending 

 but flowly, its fibres are in the mean time 

 grown tough and hard, before it can arrive 

 to any confiderable length. But as the feafon 

 advances, and the leaves inlarge, greater 

 plenty of nourishment being thereby con- 

 veyed, the fecond joint grows longer than the 

 firft, and the third and fourth ftill on gra- 

 dually longer than the preceding 5 thefe do 

 therefore, in equal times, make greater ad- 

 vances than the former. 



The wetter the feafon, the longer and 

 larger (hoots do Vegetables ufually make -, 

 becaufe their fofc ductile parts do then con- 

 tinue longer in a moift, tender ftate: but in 

 a dry feafon the fibres fooner harden, and 

 ftop the further growth of the fhoot 5 and 

 this may probably be one reafon why the 

 two or three laft joints of every (hoot are 



ufually 



