On the Acclimailng Principle of Plants, 109 



accordingly as they may be acted on by circumstances. Many 

 of them can bear the most violent contrasts of heat and cold, and 

 adapt themselves to many climates. 



Vegetables too, are organized, have their growth and decay, 

 and the pow^ers of reproduction. Beyond this we allow them but 

 few capacities ; no locomotive powers, none of the sensibilities 

 common to animalSj nor that pliancy which can accommodate 

 itself to circumstances. They are the fixtures of nature, with 

 but little latitude in which to flourish, and but little diversity of 

 soil from which to derive nutriment. The object of this paper 

 is to enlarge their sphere, and to show that they possess more 

 power to change their climates, and capacity ib bear the con- 

 trasts of heat and cold, than we have generally ascribed to them ; 

 to illustrate it with many instances where they have actually 

 adapted their growth and habits to a great extent of country, 

 and diversity of latitude, and to urge agriculturists to make 

 more efforts to vary their culture. 



Plants have directly no locomotive powers, but indirectly they 

 have in a great degree the faculty of changing their places, and, 

 consequently, their climate. The embryo germ wrapped in a 

 kernel, or seed, is virtually a plant, ready to germinate when 

 thrown upon its parent earth, and affected with heat and mois- 

 ture. It is in a most portable shape, and can be transported 

 with ease to an unlimited distance. Nature in many instances 

 superadds to seeds, wings, down, feathers, and chaff, by which 

 they become buoyant, and are carried by the winds of heaven, 

 by the storms that sweep the forest, and by the streams, and cur- 

 rents of rivers, and the ocean, to an immense distance, and 

 through many degrees of latitude ! They become finally deposit- 

 ed in some genial soil, and at one remove, or through a succes- 

 sion, they occupy extensive regions. Nature manifests her great 

 care of the embryo, by coating some of her seeds with shells, 

 which protect them from the attacks of insects, and the action 

 of the elements ; others have bitter, narcotic, or poisonous quali- 

 ties, which forbid animals eating them ; and many are filled with 

 oily, or resinous matter, which resists for ages, and even centu- 

 ries, the action of the elements, unless acted upon by the proper 

 degree of heat and moisture. By such qualities they endure, and 

 await a suitable time and conveyance to their destined place, in 

 order to extend and vary their families. 



