( 3S4 ) 
Mr. Hales ^ by a very ingenious Contrivance, found 
the Degrees of growing in every part of young 
Shoots, which in their growing extend themfelves 
moft in the middle, and leaft towards the top and the 
bottom ; the du<f^ile Matter for their growth being 
drawn out in length like melted Glafs-Tubes, whicli 
retain a Hollownefs, tho’ drawn out to the fmal- 
lefl Thread, N. B. In fome Animals there is fuch 
a tough duHile Suhjiance^ which hardens when expos^'d to 
the Air in [mail Threads^ as in Spiders and Silk-Worms, 
He (hews, that the Pith ferves to fupply the dilating 
Moifture for the tender Shoots ; but that their Figure 
may be oblong, and not round, as the Fruit com- 
monly is, there are tough Diaphragms in the Pith at 
fmall diftance from each other, which check the la- 
teral Expanfion j as alfo horizontal Fibres, which 
ferve for the fome purpofe : And of the fame fort is 
the Pith in the large growing Feathers of Birds; which 
is made up of Veficles that can be diftended length- 
wife, but have Sphincters at the ends, to prevent too 
large a lateral Dilatation. — That the Bones of A- 
nimals do nor grow at the Joynts (which would pre- 
vent their free Motions^ but at the Symphyfis^ viz. 
where the Heads joyn to the Shanks of the Bones — - 
That there are particular VelTels in Vegetables, as 
well as Animas, appropriated for conveying different 
forts of Nutriment ; and that where a vifcid Sub- 
fiance is to befurniflied, the Veffels are lengthen’d, 
and often fetch a compafs to retard the Velocity of 
the Fluid, which is to be infpiflated into an hard Sub- 
ftance. Thus in hard Stone-Fruits the Umbilical Veffel 
goes round theConcave of the Stone, and then enters 
the Kernel near.its Cone. 
Then at laft, our Author traces the Vegetation of 
ft Plant, from a Seed to a Tree again producing Seed; 
which 
