3 2 4 Of Vegetation. 



with proper instruments to fuck it thence, 

 But the leaves feem alio defigned for many 

 other noble and important fervices 5 for 

 nature admirably adapts her inftruments fo 

 as to be at the fame time ferviceable to 

 many good purpofes. Thus the leaves, in 

 which are the main excretory duels in vege- 

 tables, feparate and carry off the redundant 

 watry fluid, which by being long detained, 

 would turn rancid and prejudicious to the 

 plant, leaving the more nutritive parts to 

 coalefce \ part of which nourifhment, we 

 have good reafon to think, is conveyed into 

 vegetables thro* the leaves, which do plenti- 

 fully imbibe the Dew and Rain, which con- 

 tain Salt, Sulphur,, &c. For the air is full 

 of acid and fulphureous particles, which 

 when they abound much, do by the a&ion 

 and re-action between them and the elaftick 

 air caufe that fulrry heat, which ulually 

 ends in lightning and thunder : And thefe 

 new combinations of air, mlphur and acid 

 fpirit, which are condantly forming in the 

 air, are doubtlefs very ferviceable, in promo- 

 ting the work of vegetation 5 when being 

 imbibed by the leaves, they may not im- 

 probably be the materials out of which the 



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