I20 STEPHEN HALES 



the different qualities of plants, e.g. taste, odour, 

 etc., do not depend on the absorption from the 

 soil of differently scented or flavoured principles, 

 as the Aristotelians imagined, but on specific 

 differences in the way in which different plants 

 deal with identical food material — an idea which 

 is at the root of a sane physiological outlook. 

 These views were published in 1679,^ and may 

 have been known to Hales. He certainly was 

 interested in such ideas, as is indicated by his 

 attempts to give flavour to fruit by supplying them 

 with medicated fluids. He probably did not 

 expect success, for he remarks (p. 360) : "The 

 specifick differences of vegetables, which are all 

 sustained and grow from the same nourishment, is 

 [sic] doubtless owing to the very different formation 

 of their minute vessels, whereby an almost infinite 

 variety of combinations of the common principles 

 of vegetables is made." He continues in the 

 following delightful passage : "And could our eyes 

 attain to a sight of the admirable texture of the 

 parts on which the specific differences in plants 

 depends, [sic} what an amazing and beautiful scene 

 of inimitable embroidery should we behold ? 

 what a variety of masterly strokes of machinery ? 

 what evident marks of consummate wisdom should 

 we be entertained with ? " To conclude what 

 has been said on Hales' chronological position — 

 Ingenhousz, the chief founder of the modern point 

 of view on plant nutrition, was born 1730 and 

 published his book. On Vegetables, etc., in 1779. 



^ Sachs, G»scMchte, p. 499. 



