252 THEPHILOSOPHY 



Here it is pleafant to obferve candour and fair experiment tri- 

 umphing over deep prejudice. From the above, and many other 

 paflages, it is evident that Spalanzani was a keen fexualift, and that 

 he expected his experiments, inftead of overthrov?ing, would con- 

 firm his faith ; but, like a true philofopher, he candidly, though 

 with reludtance, unhinges his favourite opinion. 



* I referved the remainder of the feeds,' continues Spalanzani, 

 ' for another experiment to be made the following fpring. Before 

 ' it can be afferted that fruilification has been complete, it is necef- 



* fary, according to the determination of botanifts, not only that the 

 ' feeds Ihould grow, but that they fhould alfo be capable of bringing 

 ' productive feeds, or, in other words, of perpetuating the fpecies. 

 ' That I might learn whether the feeds of my three gourds enjoyed 

 ' this prerogative, I caufed fome of them to be planted in the fame 

 ' place in May 1778; and, when they were grown to fome fize, 

 ' they were, as in the foregoing experiment, carefully ftripped of all 



* their male flowers, one female flower only being left on each in- 



* dividual. Thefe flowers were furnifhed with fmall gourds, which 

 ' grew ripe towards the beginning of autumn, and the feeds they 

 ' produced grew juft as well as the former *.' 



With regard to dioicous plants, or thofe which produce male 

 £owers on one individual and female flowers on another, they are 

 by far the moft unexceptionable fubjefls for determining the ex- 

 iftence or non-exiftence of fexes in plants. Accordingly, Bonnet, 

 Fourgeroux, and Spalanzani, &c. about the year 1770, placed fe- 

 male plants of this defcription in fituations fo ftridly guarded againft 

 the poflTibility of foecundating duft being conveyed to the females 

 either by the air or by infects, that the fuppofition of male influence 



baffles 



* Spalanzani's Diflertations, vol. 2. p. 278. 



