The VEGETABLE SYSTEM. 
25 
To confirm this opinion farther, Moufe-Ear is found in Newfound- 
land, and in fome other parts of our Colonies ; it would be rafh to 
have judged from this alone, that it was native there; for the Seeds 
of many common Pafture Plants, may have gone from hence with 
Grafs Seed, which our Planters often have from us ; but the finding the 
Plant there, and the feeing by what a natural and eafy courfe it may 
have come thither, from the more Northern Countries, not from Eu- 
rope, together, amount to as good proof as reafon can expedl in fuch 
a cafe. 
If it be afked, why, on the fame principle, many more Plants are 
not all'o found native in North America and Europe ? the anfwer is 
eafy. This is not the only one ; but many are not to be expedted on 
this plan. The extreme North does not produce a very great number; 
and of thefe, few have the advantages of light Seeds and natural 
hardinefs, that we find in Moufe-Ear. 
Another obfervation will naturally occur here to the Reader; that 
the northern Plants are, fo far as hitherto named, extremely fhort or 
low : it is fo univerfally, fo far as I have feen : and height in Vegeta- 
bles feems certainly, though not univerfally, to encreafe with the Sun’s 
power. The Mofies of 83 degrees Latitude, are the lowefi: of all 
Plants ; the Strawberries of eighty-two lie on the ground, yet are a little 
higher than thofe Mofies ; the Violet of Baffins Bay is fomewhat taller 
than the Strawberry ; and the Moufe-Ear of feventy-three, is, to all 
thefe, gigantick. 
It would be vain and abfurd, to fuppofe that all Plants followed 
this law of encreafe exadtly, for then the difference of foils and acci- 
dents could be allowed no power; and the Plants of every country 
would be all of one heighth : yet I muftbe permitted to fay here, what 
will be proved in its due place by a multitude of inftances ; that not- 
withftanding the multitude of exceptions, there is fuch a law ; and that 
were all accidents equal, which they never are, or can be, the effects 
would be more vifible. The Moufe-Ear, which is in a manner univer- 
fal in feventy-three, grows to three inches high; the Jerufalem Arti- 
choak, which is native of 3 degrees, grows to 12 feet. We may 
D trace 
