[ 74 3 



the leaves, having no mere air to 

 elaborate, refembies almoft the or- 

 ganization of an animal, which 

 lofes its life by becoming exhaufted 

 through the lofTes fuftained by the 

 increafe of the various excretions 

 which are carried on in its body, 

 if thefe loifes are not repaired by 

 taking in new nouriihment. 



Vegetables feem to draw the mofl 

 part of their juices from the earth, 

 by their fpreading roots ; and their 

 phlogiftic matter chiefly from the 

 atmofphere, from which they ab- 

 forb the air as it exifts. They ela- 

 borate this air in the fubitance of 

 their leaves, feparating from it what 

 is wanted for their own nourifliment, 

 viz* the phlogifcon, and throwing 

 out the remainder, thus deprived 

 or its inflammable principle, as an 

 rementitious fluid, and in this 



it ate 



