BRA 



from wlience tliey originate ; and beinj* conftant in each 

 {"pedes, more particularly with regard to the fecondary 

 branches, it funiidies a botanical charafter, of which Adan- 

 foii has taken advantage. The branches, as well as the 

 leaves, are Itrongly attrafted by the light ; they avoid even 

 the fhade caiil'ed by the foliage of the adjoining branches of 

 the fame tree, and hence it is, tliat thofe whicli arc next the 

 ground extend in a liori/.ontal direc'tioii, in order to cfcape 

 from the ihadow of -lie fuperior branches, and tlist tiie lat- 

 ter, in proportion as tliey approach the fnmmit of the tree> 

 afTiiine more of an creft polition. The lefier rainilications 

 obferve a ilmilar pofitirn^ The economv of foiue trees 

 lenders the direction of their branch.es fomewhat peculiar : 

 thus , in the /id/'/./r, they are nearly vertical, whilll in the 

 iveepitig ifi'hf'.v they bend towards the earth, and in the 

 Jig-tree tliey are curved towards the root ; but iri thefe in- 

 llancts alio the loweR branches arc (till the moll pmminent, 

 in order that all may be equally and fairly expoicd to tlie 

 light. 



Du Hamel has made a number of experiments, to deter- 

 mine the proportionate thickntfs of the trunk to the primary 

 branches, and again of thefe to the fccondary branches ; 

 his experiments tend to prove, that the Itjuares of tlie cir- 

 cumferences of the tirll branches exceed timfe of the trunk, 

 in the proportion of 5 to 4 ; and in comparing the iquares of 

 the cirenraterences of the primary and fecondary branches, 

 he found that the latter fell fhort of the others in the pro- 

 portion of 100 to loi in one inftance, and in another of 

 nearly 50 to i;i ; the primary branches, therefore, not only 

 exceed in quantity the trunk, but thole of the fecond order 

 alfo, which are neverthclels' fo much more numerous. Du 

 Hamel explains this curious circuniltance, by fupDoling that 

 the fmailcr branches arc moll liable to be deilroved, in 

 which cale they would not only Inffer diminution thcmfelves, 

 but their lofs would tend to make thofe from which they 

 fpring more vigorous, and confequently larger. 



The Abbe Sehabol dillinguifhes in fruit trees five 

 forts of branches : the hrll kind are fmooth on the furface, 

 their fibres are llraight and cloftly apphed to each other, 

 but eafily feparated ; they are pliant, and break with diffi- 

 culty ; it is upon thefe branches the wood buds are found. 

 The fecond fort fultain the fruits ; they are wrinkled at their 

 bafe ; their fibres appear to be more interwoven ; they are 

 fuppofcd to be endowed with numerous veffels and pores ; 

 they contain a thick lap ; and w hen bent are readily broken. 

 The third kind of branches refemble thofe which become 

 die wood, but are not produced from buds ; they arife from 

 the bark, and', as they never become hard, thty are called 

 the branches luilh fiilj'e ivood. The fourth fet are veiy broad 

 at their bafe ; then- bark is brown and rough ; their buds 

 are black and not numerous ; thefe branches, like the lall, 

 are produced by the bark ; they grow rapidly and foon 

 perilh ; they are injurious to the tree, in depriving more nfe- 

 Inl branches of their due proportion ot nonrilhrnent.' The 

 fifth fort are fmall branches which abound upon nnhealthy 

 trees ; they exhauil feeble trees, and are ufelefs upon the 

 moll vigorous ; they die before they acquire any magni- 

 tude. 



There is a remarkable relation between the branches and 

 the roots ; upon thefe parts mutually depend the afcent and 

 defcent of the lap ; they mull, therefore, a6t in harmony 

 and in proportion to each other : lience, if a tree be deprived 

 of fomc ot the principal branches, the correfponding roots 

 perifh ; or, if the iniall branches be clipped to form the tree 

 into any particular Ihape, the roots gradually aifume the 

 fame figure ; if the fuinmit of the trunk be cut off, the 

 lateral branches become more vigorous ; in the fame manner 



Vol. V. 



BRA 



tlic lateral roots acquire llrength, by the removal of the ex. 



tremity of the principal root. The fine fibres of tlic root 

 pcriHi at the fall of the leaf; and lalUy, experiment hai 

 fhewn, that the tops of the branches, when covered witii the 

 earth, will produce roots ; and that the roots, when txpol'cd 

 to the air, will put forth leaves. 



Branch, in Ah iMogy. Anciently branches were carried 

 iti the liands at the procefiions and ceremonies of the god.. ; 

 whence the ihciHuphon, or branch bearers. The Thefpians 

 adored a branch. The oHvebianch was the fymbol or en- 

 fign of peace. The natives of the iflands of the South Seas 

 ule green boughs, &c. fyr the fame purpofe at tliis day. 



Bkanch is alfo applied to the parts or Tamificatior.s of 

 divers other bodies, which, in refpec^t hereof, are coiifidcred 

 as llciJis. Thus chemills fpeak of the branchcsi of their me- 

 talline vegetation, branches of the arbor Dhuin, arbor Af.ir- 

 /is, &.C. Phil. Tranf. No. 286. Mem. Acad. Sc. 1692. 

 1710. 



Branch, in .^/;<7/cmj', denotes a divifion of a vein, arter)', 

 or nerve. All the veins in the body arc only branches of the 

 •vena cava. 



Branch is alfo ufed in the Military Art, in fpeaking of 

 trenehcs, mines, and their feveral dufts, ways, retur.'s, and 

 the like, bttween one well and another. SecGALLl-RY. 



Branch is alfo ufed in fpeaking of the veins in mines of 

 gold, filver, or other metals, which divide like the veins in 

 the body. 



Branch, in Genealogy, is applied to the feveral lines or 

 fucceffions arifing out of the fame ftock or origin. In which 

 fenfe, branches amount to much the fame with cadets. 



Branch alfo denotes a complex metalline kind of candle- 

 flick, contrived for tlie reception of a number of candles. 

 Thefe, in ancient writers, are called phari, canlhara, jejfe } 

 when made of glafs, lujlres ; the richer fort, girandoles. 



Branch oJ the trenches, in Fortificalion. See Boyau, 



BRANCH^an^, in jprt/cowrj', fignifies to make a hawk leap 

 from tree to tree, till the dog fprings the partridge. 



Branch, in Scripture, is an appellation peculiarly given 

 to the Meffiah, as being of the branch or houfe of David. 



Branches of vaults, are fomctimes ufed to denote the 

 arches of them. 



Branches of arches, denote feveral portions of arches 

 fpriiiging all from the fame fummer. 



Branches of ogives, in Archite^ure, the reins or arches of 

 Gothic vaults ; which traverfing from one angle to another, 

 diagonal-wife, form a crofs between the other arches which 

 make the fides of the fquare, whereof thole arches are dia« 

 gonals. 



JBranches of a bridle, in 'Ccit Manege, are two crooked 

 pieces of iren which fupport the moutii-bit, the chain, and 

 the curb : and which are faflened on one fide to the head- 

 flail, on the other to the reins ; ferving to keep the horfe's 

 head under command. 



What way foever the branches of the bit incline, the 

 horfe's mouth goes to the contrary. The duke of Ne wcaflle 

 is very particular on the head of branches; explaining their 

 feveral kinds and their effedts, which arc reducible to thofe 

 of a lever. The branch is always to be accommodated to 

 the defign, either of bringing in, or raifing a horfe's 

 head, and to the neccffary degree : accordingly, we have 

 flrong and hardy branches, gentle branches, rude branches, 

 &c. 



With regard to their form and flrnclure, branches arc 



either llrait, in form of a piflol, for yoniighorfes to form their 



mouth ; or, after the conilable of France's fafhion, for boflTes 



that already carry the head well : others are in a form of a 



Ji e gigoc. 



