i 



350 



V ISEASES 



Sect. XIV. 3. 2* 



about Mldfummer ; but have not had an opportunity to afcertala 



thefe facts. 



Thirdly. There appears to be a power impreffed on organized bo- 

 dies by t' 



f all things, by which th 



fize and flrength from their embry 



ft 



;y not only i 

 to their mat 



d occafionally cure their accid 



difeafes, and repair 



\ 



accidental injuries, but alfo a power of producing armour to prevent 

 thofe more violent injuries, which would otherwifc deftroy them. 

 Of this lall kind are the poifonous juices of fome plants, as of atropa 

 belladonna, deadly nightfhade, hyofcyamus, hen-bane, cynogloffum. 



hounds-tongue. Other plants are armed with thorns and 



Pi" 



prevent the depredation of anim.als, as ilex, holly, Crataegus, h 



ibes grofful 



thorn, : 



perpetually devoured but for 



fecrete a 



fe berry 



of which would be 



kind of protedion. Other pi 



fcid juice to agglutinate the infeds, which 



P 



d 



wards their frudification, as filene, catchfly, drofera, fun-dew ; ai 

 Others by the contradtion of their leaves or petals arreft or deftroy the 

 infeds, which attack them, as dionoea mufcipula, and apocynum an- 

 .drofemifolium. 



But how can vegetables proted the whole inferior furfaces of their 

 leaves, and of their young rifing ftems from the innumerable pro- 

 geny of the deilruclive aphis, which penetrates their chyle vefiels and 

 their arteries ; and which from their immenfe numbers may in pro- 

 iCefs of time deftroy the vegetable world. Many vegetables have not 

 yet acquired any means of defence, and have therefore the firft growth 

 of their foliage much injured, or totally deftroyed by this deftrudive 

 infed, as the nedarine, and peach, and plum, and cherry-trees, in 

 many parts of this country, as is every year feen and lamented. 



Some vegetables have neverthelefs already acquired an armour, 

 which leffens, though it does not totally prevent, the injuries of this 



animal. This is moft confpicuous on the ftcms and floral-leaves of 



mofs- 



\ 



