[ , 2 6 ] 
XV. New Observations upon Vegetation . 
By Mr, Mattel of the Acad, of Sciences 
at Rouen ; tranfated from the French. 
Read Jan. 14, "fa. Iff ANY celebrated writers, induced 
‘ 773 - the analogy, which they ob- 
ferved betwixt the vegetable and animal kingdoms, 
have admitted the circulation of the lap in the 
one, in a limilar manner to the circulation of the 
blood in the other. 
This important point of vegetable aeconomy 
produced a diverlity of opinions, and has not yet 
been fufficiently cleared up. 
Dr. Hales, in his Vegetable Staticks, does not 
feem to embrace the fyftetn of the circulation of 
the fap ; but he does not prove the contrary *. 
* II nt prouve pas contre. This certainly is a miftake. Dr. 
Hales, in the IVth Chapter of his Pbyfical Staticks , not only de- 
clares openly againft the dodfrine of the circulation of the fap, 
and overturns the arguments alledged in favour df this opi- 
nion ; but he produces feveral new experiments, which prove 
diredtly the impoffibility of fuch a circulation. (See p. 144, &c.) 
His reafons have been thought fo convincing, that the fyftem of 
the circulation in plants has been ever fince exploded in England ; 
and that they have had a fimilar effect abroad, appears from the 
following quotation from a book of the ingenious Mr. Bonnet, 
F. R. S. of Geneva, intitled Recberches fur lufage des feuilles , 
printed in 1754, p. 269. “ Pour moi, perfuade de la fauflete de 
“ cette opinion (que la feve circuloit comme le fang) paries ex- 
<{ periences de M, Hales (Gh, IV.) &c.” M. M. 
