2 2 2 Of Vegetables,i 
Of the cover of the feeds. 
HP next ftep which nature takes, relates chiefly to 
the growth of the feed, when fown, and for this 
purpofe the outer covers are fomewhere furnilhed with 
apertures, fufficient for the reception of alimental moi- 
fture, to be received from the ground, and for the {hoot¬ 
ing forth of the young root into it; as in the feed of a 
gourd at the bottom, in a bean on the fide, and in a chef- 
nut at the top, in which place the young plant always 
lies, and puts forth in the faid feveral feeds. The feed 
of palmi chrifti falls to the ground, not only in the ufual 
covers, but alfo in the faid cafe. 
If the cover of the feed be ftony, and very hard, it is 
divided into feveral pieces, whereby they eafily cleave 
afunder : the fhell of a hazel nut, divides on the edge, and 
the cleft begins at the point, where the root Hands and 
ihoots forth ; the fhells of fome walnuts cleave into four 
parts, and the Hone of bellerick myrobalan into five: 
the covers and hulks of fome forts of grain, as millet, are 
folded over each other, the better to give way to their 
tender fprouts. 
The covers of all, or at leaft the .far greater number of 
feeds, are three, and fometimes four, even thofe of ftoned 
fruits have three, befides the ftone; in goffipium, there are 
two under that lin’d with cotton. The feeds of cucum¬ 
bers, goat’s beard, broom, fcabious, lattice, &c. although 
fo fmail, have plainly three coats ; in fome of thefe, and in 
many more, only two are diftindtly vifible, except in the 
Hate of generation. In the upper coat the feed-vefiels 
are difieminated ; the fecond is at firfl: a mere pulp, which 
afterwards fhrinks up, and fticks clofe to the upper. The 
third or inmoft more denfe $ and if it be thin, for the mofl 
part 
