Mtftellanea Curiofa. a 3 I 



unle/s either frefh Earth, or fome fit Manure, 

 be applied unto them. 'Tis true, they may 

 maintain themfelves there for fome time, by 

 /ending forth Roots further and further to a 

 great Extent all round, to fetch in more remote 

 Provifion ; but at laft all wj|l fail ; and they 

 muft either haveafrefh Supply brought to them, 

 or they themfelves be removed and tranfplanted 

 to fome Place better furniflied with Matter 

 for their Subfiftence. And accordingly Gardiners 

 obferve, that Plants that have ftood a great 

 while in a Place, have longer Roots than uiual , 

 part of which they cut off, when they tranfc 

 plant them to a frefli Soil, as now not of any 

 further ufe to them. All thefe Inftances, to pafs 

 over .a. great many others that might be al- 

 ledg'd, point forth a particular Terreftrial Mat- 

 ter, and not Water, for the Subject to which 

 Plants owe their Increase. Were it Warer on- 

 ly, there would he no need of Manures y or of 

 *tranfplanting them from place to place. The 

 Rain falls in all Places alike ; in this Field and 

 in that indifferently ; in one fide of an Or- 

 chard or Garden , as well as another. Nor 

 could there be any Reafbn, why 'a Tract of 

 Land fhould yield Wheat one Year, and not 

 the next j fin ce the Rain fhowers down alike in 

 each. But I am fenfible 1 have carried on this 

 Article to too great a length ; which yet on fb 

 ample and extenfive a Subject, 'twas not eafie 

 to avoid. 



Vegetables are not forrnd of Water \ but of 

 a certain -peculiar Terreftrial Matter. It hath 

 been (hewn, that there is a confiderable Quan- 

 tity of this Matter contained both in Rain, 

 (i. 4 Spring, 



