84 
MEMOIR OF 
the sap in trees, and relating to the circulation of 
the same, dated York, January 25, 167”, in which 
he says, that he was “ actuated in his experiments 
by hopes of improving the notion of winter 
bleedings, so happily discovered by Mr Willughby 
and Mr Kay,” and which succeeded so well that 
he “ afterwards engaged himself in keeping a 
journal throughout the whole winter.” The 
experiments of Mr Willughby. and Mr Ray were 
verified and extended by Dr Ezekiel Tonge ; also 
by Richard Reed, Esq. as appears in a letter 
dated March 14, 167 t, at Lugwardine ; also by 
Dr John Beal, May 13, 1671. These discoveries 
also suggested inquiries on the subject in Italy, 
as appears from the Philosophical Transactions, 
August 14th, 1 671- 
Dr Ezekiel Tonge stated, that the results of 
his experiments did not coincide, in some respects, 
with those of Mr Willughby and Mr Ray. 
Accordingly Mr Willughby wrote in a letter, 
dated Middleton, in Warwickshire, March 12, 
I6£g, explaining the causes of the disagreement; 
such as their being made in a different season, 
&c. and intimating his intention to prosecute 
these experiments in the ensuing year. 
It should seem, that these experimentalists 
had, like the rest of the world till lately, not 
considered the distinction whether the sap is 
quiescent, or whether it flows, before perforations 
are made in a tree, neither took sufficiently 
into consideration the principle of life in vege- 
table bodies. At all events, it may be safely 
