Of Vegetation. 3 ? 9 



And as this pith in the quill grows dry and 

 ufelefs after the quill is full-grown, we mav 

 obfcrve the fame in the pith of tree?, which 

 is always fucculcnt, and full of moifture, while 

 the '{hoot is growing, by the expanfion of 

 which the tender ductile (hoot is diftended in 

 every part, its fibres being at the fame time 

 kept fupple by this moifture ; but when each 

 year's moot is full grown, then the pith gra- 

 dually dries up, and continues for the future 

 dry and kecfey, its veficles being ever after 

 empty, Nature always carefully providing for 

 the fucceeding year's growth, by preferving 

 a tender ductile part in the bud replete with 

 fucculent pith. 



And as in Vegetables, fo doubtlefs in Ani- 

 mals, the tender ductile bones of young Ani- 

 mals are gradually increafed in every part, 

 that is not hardened and oiTified 5 but fince it 

 was inconfiftent with the motion of the joints 

 to have the ends of the bones (oft and ductile, 

 as in Vegetables, therefore Nature makes a 

 wonderful provifion for this at the glutinous 

 ferrated joining of the heads to the fhanks of 

 the bones ; which joining, while it continues 

 ductile, the Animal grows ; but when it ofllfies, 

 then the Animal can no longer grow: As I 

 Was affured by the following Experiment, *ui& 



Z 2 I 



