Of Vegetables . 219 
multiplied again by four, the number of heads, gives 
thirty-two thoufand feeds, the yearly produdt of that 
plant. 
So alfo in typha major, the feeds being blown off and 
fown with great hazard, are prodigioufly numerous, they 
ftand altogether upon the fpike, and make a cylinder at 
leaft fix inches long, and near live eighths of an inch in 
diameter. Nine of thefe feeds fet clofe together upon a 
right line make but the eighth of an inch, fo that feventy- 
two make a line of an inch in length; but becaufe upon 
the fpike, the hairs belonging to the feed come between 
them, we will abate ten, and count but fixty-two; to 
which if three fourths be added (abating the fraction, 
viz. 46.) makes a hundred and eight, for the circumfe¬ 
rence of the cylinder, which being fix inches long, there 
are fix times fixty-two for a line the length of the cylin¬ 
der, which is three hundred feventy-two; which num¬ 
ber being multiplied by a hundred and eight, produceth 
forty thoufand one hundred and feventy-fix, the number 
of feeds that ftand upon one ftalk : therefore upon three 
ftalks which one plant commonly bears, there are in one 
year a hundred and twenty thoufand five hundred twenty- 
eight feeds. 
As foon as the feed is ripe, nature taketh feveral me¬ 
thods for its being duly fown, not only in opening the 
uterus, but alfo in the make of the feed itfelf; for firft the 
feeds of many plants which effedi a peculiar foil, as arum, 
poppy, See. are.'heavy and fmall enough without further 
caie to fall diredtly down into the earth, and fo to grow 
in the fame place where they had their own birth. But 
if the feeds are fo large and light as to be expofed to the 
wind, they are often furnifhed with one or more hooks, 
to prevent their wandering too far from their proper place, 
till by the fall of leaves or otherwife, they are fafely lodged. 
The 
