125 VEGETABLE STRUCTURE. 
Conic Clufters within them. Thus is the firA: effort made for a Radical 
Leaf of the Radifli. 
The three tubes of Flefli being fomewhat diAant from one another, 
the Membranes enclofing them affume a broad fiiape, and the whole be- 
comes rounded and hollow, in conformity with the Aiape of the rudiment 
of the Stalk from which they rofe. The tube of Flefli grows thinner by 
degrees, till foon the CluAers are left alone. The middle one, which runs 
up the center of the FootAalk, continues fingle ; but the two others which 
purfue their courfe along the two fides, prefently divide, firA into two, 
then each into four ; fo that at a fmall height inPiead of three, we fee five 
of thefe CluAcrs j and a little farther nine : toward the top of the Foot- 
Aalk they begin to unite again, they become only five, and finally only 
three, as they fet out, till at the very part where the body of the Leaf 
begins, they fometimes divide into five again, and thus run up the middle 
Rib. 
From this part they fend off portions in the fame manner as thefe 
CluAers themfelves were firA fent off, which being covered with a little 
Blea, and inclofed betw'een the diAended and e.xpanded Rinds, form what 
we call the fmaller fide Ribs of the Leaf. In all thefe portions the Cluf- 
ters are entire, tho’ fmall. They confiA of white and green Veffels. The 
main Rib purfues its courfe Araight up the middle of the Leaf, till it 
reaches very nearly the extremity ; only becoming fmaller all the way it 
goes, in proportion to the number of Veffels fent off in form of the fide 
Ribs. In the fame manner the feveral fide Ribs run obliquely toward 
the extremity of the Leaf, and terminate in various places near its edges. 
In their courfe they frequently inofculate with one anotlier ; and from that 
line in which they terminate near the edges of the Leaf, there are produc- 
ed fmall and wonderfully divided Veffels which join the Ribs again. 
The fubAance of the Leaf between the tw'o Membranes is a thin bed 
of Blea, which opens its cells to the furface on each fide of the Leaf ; and 
the Membranes are conArudted juA as in the Seed-Leaves. The fide Ribs 
fend off a multitude of minute branches ; and from the extremities of 
thefe frequently rife the hairs of the Leaf : thefe are few in number, and 
appear fo many pellucid cones, when we view them by the Microfeope. 
All thefe parts are beA traced in an extremely young Leaf, becaufe 
fuch a one is more manageable, and more tranfparent j but they may be 
feen diAindly in the Radical Leaves of full growth, in the Footfialk of 
which the three original cluAers of Veffels, when a Leaf is torn off at the 
bafe, are feen like three thick green cords. 
The 
