OF GARDENING. 
Octob. Leaves; which is the prefent Subject. The | innumerable Glands, the Stru@ure of which | iS O&ob. 
Alteration made in Flowers, is by partly or 
totally taking away the Colour; but in 
Leaves the native Tinge is not only taken 
away, but another is brought on in its Place: 
in Flowers the coloured Juices are detained, but 
in the Cafe of Leaves they are altered. It 
appears therefore, that as orily Barrennefs is re- 
quired to effect the one, fome active Prin- 
ciple will be neceffary to bring on the other. 
The Juices of Plants are fecreted through 
Cem A Pp. 
and Colours ; 
admirable; they are not lefs complex than thofe. - 
of our own Bodies; thefe Glands are contrived 
by Nature for different Juices of peculiar Kinds 
but as in animal Bodies fo in 
thefe of Vegetables, they are liable to Obftruction 
and. Difeafe; and in that Cafe the juices will 
partake of the diftempered Quality. 
This is a ereat Caufe of what we fee in Na- 
ture; and we have obferved, that ill-fuited Soils 
caule the Diftemper. 
I. 
Of the Courts of Nourifbiment in P LANTS: 
4H E Gardener will find we lead him on in this 
new Attempt from the Source and Origin 
of all the Qualities of Plants: ’tis only by that 
general Knowledge he can attain the Manage- 
ment of fo particular a Subjeét, as that of 
ftaining the Leaves of Plants. 
The Conftru€tion of a Plant is this: There 
is a thin outer Rind, within that a thicker 
Bark, next under this is a more firm Mat- 
ter, which furrounds the woody Part; and 
within this is a Hollow referved for the Pith. 
All Plants which rife with a Stalk, from the 
Whitlowgrafs of the Wall, to the Mountain Pine, 
have thefe five Parts; they are more diftinct in 
fome, and lefs in others, but a good Eye will 
fee them in moft, and a Microfcope in all. 
The Pith, which is vulgarly fuppofed an in- 
confiderable Subftance, and which fome Au- 
thors of Credit have only thought a Kind of 
Stuffing to keep out the firm Part of the Stalk, 
is indeed the moft effential Article in the Con- 
ftruction, Thus the Filaments and Antherze of 
Flowers were once underftood to be only excremen- 
titious Parts; but a better Philofophy fhews they 
are the moft effential of all: this early Miftake 
about the Pith is fuch another, and ’tis as 
lately fet right. | 
From this Pith, or from that central Part 
in other Kinds which analogous to it though 
more firm, Fibres are fent off Sideways, or aif 
liquely upwards in regular Affortments, which 
penetrating the woody Subftance and the Rind; 
form upon the Surface of the Plant a Bud, in 
which are the Rudiments of Leaves and Fruit, 
with the preceding Flowers. 
ftruction of a Piant. 
‘The Root is compofed exactly as the Stem, 
of all thefe Parts, and from its medullary Part 
fent Fibres with open Mouths for drawing 
Nourifhment. This Nourifhment is conveyed 
up in 4 watery Vehicle; and together makes 
what we call the Juice of the Plant. It is carried 
to all Parts in Vefiels, and lodged occafionally 
in a Kind of Bladders, to be there wrought 
into various Kinds, to feed the Flowers, the Fruit, 
N° 58. 
This is the Con- 
the Leaves, the Stem, and every other Part. 
Within thefe Bladders are placed the Glands, 
from which it receives its Change; and as in our 
Bodies one Part of the fame Nourifhment is cone. 
verted into Gall, and another into the pan- 
creatic Juice ; | 
ner in Plants; the fame Supply, pafling the 
various Glands, affumes from them fo many fe- 
patate Taftes, Colours, and Qualities. | 
Every Plant of the fame Kind performs all this 
in the fame Manner, unlefs interrupted by Ac- 
cidents, throughout an everlafting Succeffion ; 
becaufe the Seed contains the Pith of the fuc- 
ceeding Root. 
The whole Seed is formed from the Heart of 
the Plant; and that Point or fmall Portion; 
which vegetates, and which we call the Heart of 
the Seed, is a Continuation of the Pith of the 
Plant. In evefy Part of that Pith are contained 
the Rudimerits of Leaves and Flowers; for the 
Extremities of its Fibres, piercing the Wood 
and Bark every where, produce them. The 
fame Rudiment is contained in this ex: 
treme Part; and when the Seed is committed 
to the Ground, it grows and fends them out 
according to its Nature. 
This is the Philofophy of vegetable Propa- 
gation: that Syftem was falfe as abfurd; which 
Tappoted every Seed at the Creation to Have 
contained the Rudiments of all the Plants, and 
all their Seeds which fhould tife from its 
nor were they much wifer, who fuppofed ark 
everlafting Round ‘of new Creations. 
All is thus refolved into a continued and 
fucceffive Growth of the one firft Plant; and 
its Parts in the plain Courfe of Nature: 
Have taken this Opportunity to explain it; be- 
caule *tis only fromi a true Knowledge of Vege-: 
tation, we can effect Changes in its Courfe and, 
Order. | 
The extreme Fibres of the Roots are like the 
fabled Hydraheads; they multiply on being cut off 
they take in the Juices, they convey them to the 
Root, whence they are fent up the Stalk and 
and fo on; in the fame Man- 
We 
693 
é 
Branches to the Flowers and Fruit, in the Heart’: 
of whofe Seeds the Fibres terminate. 
8 OQ This 
