no 



when they occur and unite again , they 

 muft fink of courfe , and fall to the Bot- 

 tom. 



Upon the whole, \ is palpable and beyond rea- 

 (bnable Contend that Water contains in it a very 

 confiderable Quantity of terreitrial Matter. Now 

 the Queftion is, to which of thefe, the Water, 

 or the Earthly Matter fuftain'd in it, Vegeta- 

 bles owe their Growth and Augment For de- 

 ciding of which, I conceive the following Expe- 

 riments may afford fome Light ; and I can 

 fafely fay, they were made with due Care and 

 Exa£tnefs. 



Anno 1691. 



I chofe feveral Glafs Vials, that were all, as 

 near as poilible, of the fame fliape and big* 

 nefs. After I had put what Water I thought 

 fit into every one of them, and taken an Ac- 

 count of the weight of it, I ftrain'd and ty'd 

 over the Orifice of each Vial, a Piece of Parch- 

 ment, having an hole in the middle of it, 

 large enough to admit the Stem of the Plant 

 I defign'd to fet in the Vial, without confining 

 or ftreightning it, fb as to impede its Growth* 

 My Intention in this, was to prevent the in- 

 cloied Water from evaporating, or amending 

 any other way than only through the Plant 

 to be let therein. Then I made choice of fe- 

 veral Sprigs of Mint, and other Plants, that 

 were, as near as I could poffibly judge, alike 

 frefti, found, and lively. Having taken the 

 weight of each, I placed it in a Vial, order'd 

 as above \ and as the Plant imbib'd and drew 

 off the Water, I took care to add more of the 



