13 ^ F'egefahle Statich. 
the vegetable takes in, than the animal, 
whereby its motion is accelerated; for by Rx- 
periment ift, we find the Sunflower, bulk 
for bulk, imbibes and perfpires 17 times 
more frefh liquor than a man every 24 hours. 
Befides, nature’s great aim in vegetables 
being only that the vegetable life be carried 
on and maintained , there was no occafion 
to give its fap the rapid motion, which was 
neceffary for the blood of animals. 
In animals, it is the heart which fets the 
blood in motion, and makes it continually 
circulate ; but in vegetables, we can difeo- 
ver no other caufe ofHhe Tap’s motion, but 
the ftrong attraftion of the capillary fap 
veflels, affifted by the brisk undulations and 
vibrations, caufed by the fun’s warmth, where- 
by the fap is carried up to the top of the 
talleft trees, and is there perfpired off thro’ 
the leaves : But when the furface of the tree 
is greatly diminifhed by the lofs of its leaves, 
then alfo the perfpiration and motion of the 
fap is proportionably diminifhed, as is plain 
from many of the foregoing Experiments : 
So that the afeending velocity of the fap is 
principally accelerated by the plentiful per- 
fpiration of the leaves, thereby making room 
for 
