[ xxxili ] 
this operation is carried on, whether 
the plants mend. air by abforbing, 
as part of their nourifhment, the 
phlogiftic matter, and leaving thus 
the remainder of the air pure (to — 
which opinion Dr. Prieftley inclines 
the moft) ; or whether perhaps the 
plants poflefs fome particular virtue 
hitherto unknown, by which they 
chahge-bad air into good air, and 
good into better, which I peer: 
to be the cafe. 
woth was not long en, aged in this 
pairy “before I faw a moft im- 
“portant fcene opened to my view; 
I obferved, that plants 2 201 only bave 
@ faculty to correc? bad air in fix or 
ten days, by growing in it, as the ex- 
periments of Dr. Priefiley indicate, 
but that they perform this important 
office in @ compleat manner in a fe 
eee ; that = ew peration 
