i <y6 Anahfis of the Air. 



particular inquiry into the nature of a Fluid* 

 which is lb abiblutely neceffary for the fup- 

 port of the life and growth of Animals and 



Vegetables. 



The excellent Mr. Boyle made many 

 Experiments on the Air, and among other 

 difcoveries, found that a good quantity of 

 Air was producible from Vegetables, by put- 

 ting Grapes, Plums, Goofeberries, Cher- 

 ries, Peafe, and feveral other forts of fruits 

 and grains into exhaufted and unexhaufted 

 receivers, where they continued for feveral 

 days emitting great quantities of Air. 



Being defirous to make fome further re- 

 fearches into this matter, and to find what 

 proportion of this Air I could obtain out 

 of the different fubftances, in which it was 

 lodged and incorporated, I made the follow- 

 ing chyrnio-ftatical Experiments : For as, 

 whatever advance has here been made in 

 the knowledge of the nature of Vegetables, 

 has been owing to ftatical Experiments, fo 

 ilnce nature, in all her operations, acts con- 

 formably to thofe mechanick laws, which 

 were efxablifhed at her firft inftitution ; it is 

 therefore reafonable to conclude, that the 

 likelieit way to enquire, by chymical ope- 

 rations.? 



