Of Vegetation. 
then thefe fupplemental feminal Ieavcs,/ 7 r,^r, 
being of no farther ufe, doperiOi 5 not only 
becaufe the now grown and more expanded 
leaves of the young plant or tree, do fo 
overfhadow the fupplemental leaves, that 
their former more plentiful perfpiration is 
much abated , and thereby alfo their power 
of attracting fap fails 5 but alfo becaufe the 
fap is drawn from them by the leaves, and 
they being thus deprived of nourifhment, 
do perifh. 
As the tree advances in ftature, the firft, 
fecond, third, and fourth order of lateral 
branches flioot out, each lower order being 
longer than thofe immediately above them ^ 
not only on account of primogeniture, but 
alfo becaufe being inferred in larger parts 
of the trunk, and nearer the root , they 
have the advantage of being ferved with grea- 
ter plenty of fap, whence arifes the beau- 
tiful parabolical figure of trees. 
But when trees Hand thick togetlicr in 
Woods or Groves, this their natural fhape 
is altered, becaufe the lower lateral branches 
being much (haded, they can perfpire little 5 
and therefore drawing little nourifhmenr, 
they perifh \ but the top branches, being 
expofed 
