premifeone fhiemmenon which it afforded in evaporati* 
on. When the Salts had fpread themfelves over the 
water ia an Ice, thofe thin plates after a while would 
break, and afcend in perpendicular lines to the very 
top of the glafs, I do therefore conjecture, that Nitre 
may be laid to fertilize the ground alter this manner, 
its volatile particles being heated by fome fubtcrrane- 
ous fire , or elfe by the warmth or the Sun, they do 
quickly afcend in the fmall tubes of the Plant, and fo 
by their «laftick nature carry along with them or force 
before them, thofe particles which as they differently 
convene together, conftititute the different parts of the 
Plant. 
But this conjecture will be made fomething the more, 
probable, by an Experiment in iJjV^'Aer a; where he fays 
if you take a wooden tube, and put into it Tartar, 
quick-Lime, Salt, and the Urine of a Wine drinker, 
reduced into one mafs, which is to be hardened in 
the Sun j and after that fet it in a cold Cellar , by 
the help of Salt-Tetre from the before mentioned 
Mafs , you will not without admiration fee Flowers 
branch out ot it; yea fuch is the force of Nitre, 
that if in a Glafs kept clofe fhut, you put the juices 
of fome nitrous Herbs on the before mention d Mafs, 
the Nitre contain d within it being pregnant with Spi- 
rit, will force it felf through the very pores of the 
Mr. de la Cambre fays. Plants do grow in jEgypt in 
fuch abundance, that they would choak one another, 
if they were not hindered by throwing fand upon the 
fields, infomuch that the ^Egyptians muft take as much 
(b^ Mund, fub, cap. de nitro. 
pains 
