VEGETABLE STRUCTURE. 
107 
end ; and there comes out a mats of foft but granulated matter, which 
might be fuppofed a cluher of elahic atoms. Fig. 24. To know what it 
really is, another courfe is necefiary. The drop of water mufi; be fuffer- 
ed to dry away, and a drop of oil muH: be put in its place. Obferving this 
from time to time, we fee the granules, which feemed atoms, diUblve into 
a fmooth uniform fubftance, which, as it is thus rendered thin, becomes 
tranfparent ; and we difcover in it that annular rudiment of a new Plant 
very didindfly, which we had feen obfcurely in the entire globules. The 
lump thus melted is reprefented at 25, with the embryo in the middle of 
it, and at 26 the embryo aloite. 
There is no other way of examining the Farina of Plants. Reafon 
dictated this ; and I have been fo happy to find it fucceed perfectly. I faw 
their error who fancied the waxy matter of the Mallow Farina to be dif- 
tindl hard bodies, and who extended one obfervation as a law to univerfal 
Nature. 
I FOUND, what all will find who try, that few Farina burft in water. It 
was plain, that the folid matter in the Farina could be no other than one 
fingle piece of the parent Plant j and what was there befide, could be only 
the Juices of the Vafcular Series, fince no other part of the Plant befide 
the Flefli and this had any communication with the Farina, or, indeed, 
with the body of the Filament. Many obfervations had fiiewn me, the 
Juice of the Vafcular Series was waxy j indeed I am perfuaded, all the 
wax which bees colled: has this fource, and no other : whatever therefore 
would diflblve wax, would have the fame effed upon this Juice in its cluf- 
tered fiate about the embryo, and whatever diffolved this, would fhew 
that embryo : on thefe plain principles I ufed oil, which is the fimplefi: of 
all the difiblvents of wax, and the leafl: oppofite to the vegetable nature : 
the effed was as expeded ; and this way I obtained w’hat others may at any 
time obtain by the fame means a plain and diftind fight of the embryo 
Plant. 
Thus we fee what "hs original em/oryo of the Plant is. We find it is a 
naked circular piece o. Flefh of the parent Plant, defended from decay by 
being covered with a lubfiance indifrf)iuljle in water. 
These Embryos, n illions of which arc contained in every Anthera, 
are to be received into tne Seeds ; and it w'ill be neceffary to examine now, 
by what paflage they are to get at this ; and what is the condition of that 
Seed before they reach it. 
P 2 
CHAP. 
