VEGETABLE STRUCTURE. 
53 
of the Root, is the elTential part of it : the reft having been produced 
from this : and fo we fhall find have all the other portions of the Plant. 
Firft we are to trace its Fibres. 
When we have laid open the body of the Root lengthwife, it will be 
eafy to cut off a Fibre at a fmall diftance from the furface, and fplitting 
this along the middle, and carrying the knife in the fame even line into 
and thro’ the fubftance of the Root, we fhall fee plainly in what manner 
it is produced from it. Fig. ij. a b c d e. 
The Fibre, we have feen, is compofed of all the fame parts as the 
body of the Root. The two Rinds, and the Blea, and Vafcular Series, are, 
indeed, continuations of thofe parts entire from the Root ; the Flefh is a 
portion of the furface of the Flefti of the Root ; but the conic Clufters 
and Pith are fyftems peculiar to each part. The origin of the Fibre is from 
the outer furface of the flefhy fubftance of the Root: 17, a. This part 
keeps its uninterrupted coarfe along the body of the Root, even where the 
Fibre has its rife, 17, b, and forms a yellowifh line between the bafe of 
the Fibre and the Pith, 17, c ; but a part of its outer furface is raifed hori- 
zontally in form of a fmall blifter, whofe crown is very thin, and whofe 
body in a fedtion reprefents two threads, 17, d e, a little diftant one from 
the other. This Blifter thrufts out all the coats of the Root in that part j 
and is the original of the Fibre. The Blea, where it is pufhed by the 
tops of thefe two threads of the flefhy fubftance, goes with them outward 
with a fmall prccefs ; and fo do the two Rinds. The fleftay threads are 
continued in length, and thefe three parts being alfo continued with them, 
a Fibre is formed, fuch as has been deferibed ; compofed of a flefhy fub- 
ftance, a Blea, and two Barks, which are the fame with thofe parts in 
the original Root, and, indeed, muft be, becaufe they are thofe parts them- 
felves, only thruft outward. Thefe accompany the courfe of the Shell or 
Threads of flefhy fubftance, till they have reached fix or feven inches, 
which is the natural length of the Hellebore Fibre } and there the two 
threads which were at firft one continuous fubftance, being only a kind of 
blifter riling from the outfide of the flefhy fubftance of the Root, form an 
arch or vault : this terminates that part of the Fibre. The three Coats, 
and the Vafcular Series, are only the provifions of Nature for its fecurity, 
and really nothing more than productions or continuations of the fame parts 
from the body of the Root, for its fervice : thefe form the fpungy fubftance 
of that Angular head before deferibed, and make a thick vault over it *, and 
the others in the fame manner furround it, not terminating, as has been 
fuppofed, .at its extremity. 
Tims 
