t i* ] 



that plants may live a long whilg 

 without this free communication. 

 Befides, water plants, as perficarid 

 tirenSj becabunga, and others, which 

 1 have employed in my experiments, 

 are often found a long while quite 

 covered by the water in which they 

 grow* 



By bending a living plant (the 

 root remaining in its own earth) 

 in an inverted jar full of water, you 

 only lurprize nature upon the fact 

 in the middle of its operation, by 

 fhutting at once all communication 

 with the free air. In fuch a iitua* 

 tion no air can be abiorbed by the 

 leaves, or by any parts of the plant 

 under water; but any air may freely 

 come out of it. 



Without covering the leaves or 

 the plant entirely with water, it is 

 impofhble to know what quantity 



of 



