VEGETABLE STRUCTURE. 85 
only twelve ; whereas the Vehels of this Scries are at leaf! ten times that 
number : the fimple courfe would have been, that one VelT'el fliould have 
terminated in one of the Ncdiaria ; but the Flower would then have been 
encumbered with Nedlarla, and Nature would have omitted the final 
change in their Juices made in the Receptacle,, in that part where they 
feem to lofe themfelves. 
The Vefiels, Fig. 59, having afeended with their Membranes about 
thctri, as far as the part/yj in Fig. 57, there form a wonderful plexus one 
with anot!]er in the body of the Receptacle. This Receptacle has its place 
jufi; where the Petals begin to expand, and it is formed principally of that 
white fubfiance which furrounds the Conic Clufiers ; of which we are to 
fpeak in a fucceeding chapter. From this flefliy lump rife the Filaments 
as well as the Nedtarii, and even the inner Petals are connedled with it 
at their bafe ; its (hape is oval, and the broad part is downwards. When 
we cut it thro’ longitudinally we fee its Coat thick, and when tranfverfely, 
the appearance is much the fame. The white fubftance furrounding th© 
Conic Clufiers is fpungy ; and here, where it fwells into a kind of head, 
its texture becomes more compact. Two views of it in the longitudinal 
and tranfverfe fedlions, are reprefented at Fig. 62, 63. To examine it 
more regularly, the proper method is to cut off a thin piece, together with 
x)ne of the Filaments, and one of the Necflaria. Purfuing the ftroke care- 
fully downward, we fliall not fail to bring away a part of the Vafcular 
Series : this we are to wafh carefully with a fine pencil, and we fhall 
then have the abfolute continuation of thefe Velfels into the Nedtaria be- 
fore us. 
Such a piece is reprefented at Fig. 64, with the Nedtarium and Fila- 
ment enlarged. All we fee in this power of magnifying is, that between 
the bafe of the Nedlarium, a, and the top of the Vefiels there is a 
fubftance unlike to either of them, in which the Vefiels feem to terminate* 
and from which the Nedlarium feems to rife, as alfo the Filament. There 
requires more power of magnifying to fee what courfe they take diftindlly.. 
With a larger power we diftinguilh, that the Vefiels enter this white mafs, 
diminifiiing as they proceed, and gradually lofing their colour ; but we lofe 
them, even in this view, in their progrefs. See Fig. 65, a b. A fmall piece 
of the white mafs, 65, e, muft be pared of with a fine knife extremely 
thin, and in the exa<ft courfe of the Vefiels ; and this being laid in wa- 
ter before the moft extreme power of the Double Microfeope, we then fee 
the Vefiels gradually diminifhing, and becoming paler as they run into 
