■ 1 
V 
C H A [>. II. 
Experiments wherely to find the Force with which Trees 
imhibe Moifinre. 
s 
C \UR Author, in order to make a juft EAimate of 
the Force with which the MoiOure is dra wn up 
by Plants andl rees, contriv’d rnAqueo-mercurlal Gage 
in the tollowing manner. Be took a Glais-Tube of 
an Inch Diameter, and ajbout 8 Inches long, into one 
End of which he cemented a imallcr Tube of about 
? of an Inch Diameter, and i8 Inches long ; into the o- 
tlier End he, fucceffively, cemented a Root, or Branch, 
or Stem of a Tree or Plant, whole imbibing Force he 
wanted to find out, which he did in the following 
manner, vlz> He turn’d the fmall End of the Gage up- 
wards; and having pour’d Water intoit,down upon the 
Wood cemented in, he ft opt the Orifice with his Finger; 
then turning the little End downwardagain, he plac’d it 
into a Veflel of Mercury^ before he took off his Finger; 
which having done, he made his Obfervations. For as 
the Plant imbib’d the Water, the Mercury rofe up in 
the fmall Tube, following the Water, and (hewing by 
its Height, the Force of imbibing: And for every Inch 
that the Mercury rofe, Water would have rifen 13 d In- 
ches, as it is (b much lighter fpecifically than Wa- 
ter. 
With this Gage our Author made Experiments upon 
Roots, Branches in an eredl. Branches in an inverted 
Situation, large ones, as well as fmall, even to Sprigs 
of Plants and Fruits ; and found, that all of them im- 
bib’d the Water, fo as to raife the Mercury in the fmall 
Tube, but to different Heights. The Mercury was 
raifed the quickeft, and to the greateft height (viz- i z 
* Inches, 
