Of Vegetation. 3 3? 



poles the tender growing flioot to be diftend- 

 ed like foft wax by the expanfion of the 

 moifture in the fpongy piths which dilating 

 moifture, he with good reafon concludes 

 is hindered from returning back, while it 

 expands by the fponginefs of the pith? 

 without the help of valves. For 'tis very 

 probable that the particles of water, which 

 immediately adhere to, and are ftrcngly 

 imbibed into, and attrafted by every fibre 

 of the fpongy pith, will fuffer fome degree 

 of expanfion before they can be detached 

 by the fun's warmth from each attracting 

 fibre, and confequently the mafs of fpongy 

 fibres, of which the pith confifts, muft there: 

 by be extended. 



- And that the pith may be the more fervice- 

 able for this purpofe, nature has provided in 

 moft (hoots a ftrong partition at every knot, 

 which partitions ferve not only as plinths, or 

 abutments for the dilating pith to exert its 

 force on, but alfo to prevent the rarified fap's 

 too free retreat from the pith. 



But a dilating fpongy fubftance, by 



equally expanding it felf every way, would 



not produce an oblong fhoot, but rather a 



globofeone, like an Apple; to prevent which. 



2 inconvenience 



