i 
V E G 
body thereof ; nor needs it be either lowed: or higheft, 
6rc. Accordingly in Coral, Moffes, Fungufes, &c. 
the root is frequently uppermoft, and its growth 
downwards. 
VEGETABLE STATICS Signifies the weight 
or gravity, and the motion of the juices, in vegetable 
bodies. 
VEGETATION is the a£t whereby plants receive 
nourifhment, and grow •, the word is derived from 
the Latin, vegeto, to quicken, to refrelh, to make 
lively and ftrong ; and Signifies the way of growth, or 
increafe of bulk, parts, and dimenfions proper to all 
trees, fhrubs, herbs, plants, minerals, &c. 
To understand the procefs of nature in thebufinefs of 
Vegetation, it is to be confidered, that there is in ve- 
getables a principle of life, and this is differently 
Seated •, there are fome who fuppofe it is feated ex- 
actly between the trunk and the root, which they fay 
is obferved to be the place of its pofition, in all or 
moft of the Seminiferous tribe •, but if the Oak and 
fome other trees be included in that general title, and 
their bodies be cut down near that place, ir is odds if 
they ever ftioot again, or at leaft to any purpofe. 
In fome trees it is only the roots which vegetate, fo 
that let them be cut into as many pieces as realbnably 
may be, if thefe pieces are but planted in the ground, 
they quickly grow, as is feen in the Elm, &c. and 
in many other trees. 
In fome it is feated both in the roots, and all over the 
trunk and branches, as in the vimineous or Willow 
kinds, which, if they be cut into a thoufand pieces, it 
is Scarce pofiible to deftroy or kill them, unlefs they 
are ftripped of both their barks ; for if you plant them 
in the earth but the length of three or four inches, 
either the roots or branches will certainly grow 
again. 
In fome it is found entirely in the body, branches, or 
leaves, and of this kind are many of the exotics, which 
being of a Succulent nature, if the trunk or branches, 
ox the leaves and Stems, be put into the ground, they 
will Strike root immediately, and grow, as in the Ce- 
reufes, Ficoides, Sedums, &c. nay, fo ftrong is the 
principle of life in this kind of plants, that if they 
be hung a confiderable time in the air without any 
earth, water, &c. they will maintain their natural 
verdure, and alfo this principle of life, admirably, by 
their Succulent quality. 
The ufe of this principle of life is accounted to be for 
the concodtion of the indigefted Salts, which alcend 
through the roots, where they are fuppofed to affirnu- 
late the nature of the tree they are helping to form, 
though perhaps the root may likewife affift in the 
work. 
Thefe things being prefuppofed, in the Spring of the 
year, as loon as the fun begins to warm the earth, 
and the rains melt the latent falts, the whole work of 
Vegetation is fet on foot ; then the emulgent fibres 
Seek for food, which has been prepared as aforefaid. 
It is very rational to fuppofe that a great part of the 
roots are formed under ground during the winter 
feafon, becaufe in all lands there is always an innate 
heat, which feems to be a natural vital quality, or ni- 
trous fermentation. 
The roots, by feeking out and affuming thofe ni- 
trous falts, are immediately (by the courfe of nature, 
and the attractive virtue of the fun) drawn upwards 
to the vital principle, and, after concoction, afcend Still 
higher into the Stem, and break out firft in the buds, 
the Shelly and tendered: part of the whole machine, 
and afterwards diffufe themfelves into the leaves, 
flowers, fruits, &c. which lie inveloped therein, ac- 
cording to their natural frames, &c. 
There are fome who fuppofe that Subterraneous fires 
are concerned in the work of Vegetation, or the 
growth of plants, yet as, upon the beft observation 
thapcan be made, none can pretend to have disco- 
vered any heat or fumigation to iffuefrom the bowels 
of the earth, adequate to the meaneft artificial fire, it 
is plain that the fun is the principle, and fo may be 
V E G 
called the father of Vegetation, and the earth the 
mother, the rain and air being neceffary co-efficients 
in this furprifing work. 
It is apparent, by the ufe of microfcopes, that plants 
confift of different parts, veffels, &c. analogous to 
thofe of animals, and each kind of veffel is fuppofed 
to be the vehicle of a different humour, or juice, Se- 
creted from the matter of the Sap, which is confidered 
as the blood, or common fund of them all. 
Dr. Grew farther explains this, by faying. That all 
kinds of vegetable principles are at the firft received 
together in a plant, and are feparated afterwards, i. e. 
they are filtered fome from others in very different pro- 
portions and conjunctions by the Several parts, fo every 
part is the receptacle of a liquor, become peculiar, 
not by any transformation, but only by the percola- 
tion of parts out of the common mafs or ftock of fap, 
and thofe that are Superfluous in any plant, are dis- 
charged back by perfpiration. 
The'lame author affigns the offices of the Several vef- 
fels : he calls thofe veffels lymphedudts, which are 
placed on the inner verge of the bark, and thefe, he 
fuppofes, are appointed for the conveyance of the 
moft aqueous or watery liquor. 
Thofe veffels that are in the middle of the plant, he 
calls lactiferous or refiniferous ; thefe he takes to be 
the principle vifeera of plants ; and that as the vifeera 
of animals are but conglomerated veffels, the vifeera 
of plants are drawn out in length. 
It is alfo remarkable in many cafes, That the multi- 
tude and largenefs of the veffels produce a fweet and 
vinous fap, and the fewnefs and fmailnefs of the vef- 
fels produce an oily and aromatic fap. 
It feems neceffary to the nutrition of plants, as well 
as animals, that there be a concurrence of two fpe- 
cifieally distant fluids ; and a certain author maintains. 
That there is an intermixture of two fuch humours in 
every part of a tree, every part of fap being impreg- 
nated with other tinftures, and continually filtred 
from fibres of one kind to thofe of another, and from 
this mixture many of the phenomena of the ripening, 
odour, &c. are accounted for. 
With regard particularly to the odour in plants. Dr. 
Grew is of opinion, that they chiefly proceed from the 
air-veffels that are in the wood, not but that the other 
parts alfo yield their fmells, which is moft plain to be 
perceived in plants that are frefh, undried, and un- 
bruifed-, for he fays that the air, bringingalong with it a 
tincture from the root, and from the feveral organical 
parts, and at laft entering the concave of the air-vef- 
fels, it confifts there. 
Others fay, That it cannot be denied but the effluvia, 
which can be admitted into the wood-veffels, may give 
a fmell to the wood ; but however, as that vapour 
paffes through the veffels which have a different Struc- 
ture, fo as to alter the form of its parts, fo in every 
one of its changes, it will yield a fmell different from 
the reft. The fmell of the wood wifi differ from that 
of the bark, the juices in the one being more effential 
than the other ; but yet both, being bruifed and mix- 
ed together, yield a feent different from either of them 
fingly, and likewife the leaves give a feent that is dif- 
ferent from either of the former, and fo alfo do the 
flowers from that in the leaves, and alfo the fruit from 
that in the flowers. 
Dr. Grew is of opinion that the chief governing prin- 
ciple in the juice of plants, is the faline, which fa- 
line principle, he fays, muft be understood as a ge- 
neric term, under which divers fpecies are compre- 
hended. The vegetable falts feem to be four, viz. 
the nitrous and the acid, alkaline and marine, and of 
thefe the nitrous Salts feem to be affigned by nature 
chiefly for the growth of plants. 
The curious Malpighius has very accurately delivered 
the procefs of nature in the Vegetation of plants to 
the effefl following. 
The ovum or feed of the plant, being excluded out 
of the ovary (which is called the pod or hulk) and re- 
quiring farther foftering and brooding, is committed 
to 
I 
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