-SECT. II. 



VEGETATION"-. 



There has been much controverfy about the food 

 of plants. A refpeftable writer fays, The faline, 

 unctuous, and fubtle flime, which the water feparaies 

 from the coarfe earth, and keeps in a diffolved ftate, 

 is the principal nutriment of plants. And indeed, this 

 is the opinion of others, who have treated the fubjeft, 

 and is juftified by enquiries into the nature of the fap 

 of plants, by decompofition : 



Thofe who contend for an inherent power in earth 

 *o nourifh plants, lay a ftrefs upon the circumfiance, 

 that various earths have various qualities, fuited to 

 different parts. But to this it may be faid, that the 

 earth being more or lefs binding, or compofed of dif- 

 ferently conftrufted particles, occafions the parting 

 with the food committed to it, the more or lefs freely, 

 or altered according to its various modes of percolation,, 

 or ftraining. 



* * # * # * 



Water appears to have much to do in the fub*. 

 iiftance of plants, for they con fume a great deal;, and 

 either die, or are at a ftand, when they are deprived 

 of it, or at leaft of humidity from the air. It is 

 proved, that feeds and plants, and in ftiort all fub*. 

 flances, confift chiefly of water, being reducible I* 

 liquids in a great degree. 



Water (with refpeft to vegetation) has been defined 

 to be, a mixed fluid, in which are all forts of par- 

 ticles proper for the compofition of plantsv Rooted 

 trees haw been fet in water at the fpring, (as a rofej 

 and put forth leaves fair, though pale; and it is well 

 known, that many flips and branches of plants will 

 itrike root in water readily t and gathered flowers- net 

 only keep frefh in it, but increafe in fize, and bud* 

 alfo open. Hyacinths are very commonly blown in 

 water in warm rooms for an early blow* AW feeds 

 wilL germinate,, and fome grow iaiu 



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