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of the farina fcecundans , fo neceffary towards the 
production of the fruit for the propagation of the 
fpecies, is much hindered; to obviate which, they 
collect the male flowers when fully blown, and pre- 
fenting them to the female ones, by a ftroke of the 
finger they fcatter the farina fcecundans therein, and 
this prevents the falling of the fruit immaturely. 
Befides the vegetables before-mentioned, which 
bear both male and female flowers upon the fame 
root, there are others, which produce thole neceffary 
organs upon different roots. In the number of thefe 
are the palm-tree (the more particular fubjedt of this 
paper)* hops, the willow-tree, mifletoe, fpinach, 
hemp, poplar, French and dog’s mercury, the yew- 
tree, juniper, and feveral others. Among thefe the 
Valifneria of Linnaeus, as to the manner, in which 
its male flower impregnates the female, is one of the 
moll Angular prodigies in nature. The manner of 
this operation is figured by Micheli, in his Nova 
plantarum genera , and deferibed by Linnaeus, in the 
Hortus Cliffortianus. As that elaborate and expen- 
five work is in very few hands, in fuch only as owe 
it to the munificence of Mr. Clifford of Amfterdam, 
of which number I with pleafure acknowlege myfelf 
one, I will here lay befoifc you a fhort account 
thereof : 
The Valifneria grows in rivulets, ditches, and 
ponds, in many parts of Europe. The male plant, 
which is continually covered with water, has a fhort 
ffalk, upon the top of which its flowers are pro- 
duued. As this top never reaches the furface of the 
water, the flowers are thrown off from it, and come 
unopened to the furface of the water ; where, as 
Z foam 
