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In viewing this admirable Produdion of Divine 
Wifdom in this Plant, I ufe a fingle Lens , and no 
deep Magnifier, that I may have the Advantage of the 
Light falling on the Objeds. I throw a Quantity of 
Seed-veflels on a circular Piate of Ivory ; and, if the 
Plant be newly gathered, (the proper Time is about 
the Beginning of September) I often have the Pleafure 
of feeing the Seed-veffels burft; the Motion of which 
at that time may be feen by a good Eye unaflifted. 
But, when I happened to light of a Pod not thoroughly 
crifp, I have had the Satisfadion of feeing the gradual 
Procedure of the Burfting of the Veffel, in order to 
the fcattering the Seed, in the following Manner : 
Firft, the Chord breaks, and by expanding rends the 
Folliculum or Pod in Two Parts: By going on to 
expand itfelf, as it departs from a Curve, and approaches 
to a Right Line, it rends itfelf away from the glo- 
bular Pod gradatim , till it be wholly difcharged from 
it when, as there can be no further Refiftance made 
to the Chord in expanding itfelf, it naturally gives a 
hidden Jerk (which in this Cafe is very gentle) ; and 
thereby the Seeds are fhed on the Surface of the Plate, 
in the fame manner as if you were to call fome Grains 
of Corn out of a Bowl on the Plane of a Table- board : 
This I have feveral times feen with unfpeakable Plea- 
fure j but where the Velfel is more crifp, the Mo- 
tion of it in burfting wholly efcapes the Sight, flying 
away with great Violence beyond the Field which the 
Lens takes in. Sometimes I have obferved the Pod 
to be io, fometimes 20 Minutes in burfting 5 in which 
time you may have a diftind View of the Procedure. 
I would add, that I have more than once feen the 
Pod broke in the Side by fome Accident, as at /j and 
S H 2 the 
