(ECONOMY 
?* 
§• 9 - 
Plants oftentimes by their very ftrudture 
contribute remarkably both to their own pre- 
fervation, and that of others. But the wifdom 
of the Creator appears no where more, than in 
the manner of growth of trees. For as their roots 
defcend deeper, than thofe of other plant s^ pro- 
vifion is thereby made, that they fhall not rob 
them too much of nourifhment j and what is 
ftill more, a iterp not above a fpan in diame- 
ter often fhoots up its branches * very high *, 
thefe bear perhaps many thoufand buds ? each 
of which is a plant with its leaves , flowers and 
fiipnU . Now if all thefe grew upon the plain, 
they would take up a thoufand times as much 
fpace, as the tree does, and in this cafe there 
would fcarcely be room in all the earth for fo 
many plants , as at prefent the trees alone af- 
ford. Befides plants that fhoot up in this way 
are more eafily preferred from cattle by a na- 
tural defence, and farther their leaves falling 
in autumn cover the plants growing about 
again it the rigor of the winter, and in the 
fummer they afford a pleafing iliade, not on- 
ly to animals, but to plant s, againft the in- 
tenfe heat of the fun. We may add. that 
trees 
