354 Of Vegetation. 



of their feveral attracting powers. If the 

 perfpiration and attra&ion of the lateral 

 branches is little or nothing, as in woods and 

 groves, then the top branches will mightily 

 prevail ; but when in a free open air, the 

 perfpiration and attraction of the lateral 

 branches comes nearer to an equality with 

 that of the top, then are the afpirings of the 

 top branches greatly checked. And the cafe 

 is the fame in moft: other vegetables, which 

 when they ftand thick together, grow much 

 in length with very weak lateral {hoots. 



And as the leaves are thus ferviceable 

 in promoting the growth of a tree, we may 

 obierve that nature has placed the pedals of 

 the ieaves-ftalks where moft nouriihment is 

 wanting, to produce leaves, fhoots and fruit 5 

 and lome fuch thin leafy expanfion is fo 

 neceffary for this purpofe, that nature pro- 

 vides fmall thin expanfions, which may be 

 called primary leaves, that ferve to proteft 

 and draw nourifhment to the young {hoot 

 and leaf-buds before the leaf it felf is ex- 

 panded. 



And herein we fee the admirable con- 

 trivance of the Author of nature in adapting 

 her different ways of conveying nourifh- 



mcrt 



