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The Anatomy Book 1V. 
the Separation of fome Parts, as well as the Affufion of others. The fum 
therefore of my Thoughts concerning this Matter, is as follows. 
5. g. And Firft, it eems, That the Aitire {erves to difcharge fome 
redundant Pert of the sap, as a Work preparatory to the Generation of 
the Seed. In particular, that as the Folzature ferveth to carry off the Vo- 
latile Saline Sulphur : So the Attire,to minorate and adjuft the Aereal; to 
the end, the Seed imay become the more Oyly, and its Principles, the 
better fixed. And therefore the Foliature generally hath a much 
ftronger Odour, than the Attire: becaufe the Saline Sulphur is ftronger, 
than an Aerial, which is too fubtile to affect the Senfe. Hence alfo it is, 
that the Colour of the Parts of the Attire, is ufually White,or Yellow,ne- 
ver Red: the former, depending upon a greater participation of Aer ; 
the latter, of Sulphur, Ladd further, That the moft Volatile and Aeri- 
al Sulphur 5 being by means of thefé Parts much difcharged 5 it may 
hereby come to pafs, not only that the Seed is more Oylie,and its Princi- 
ples more fixed 5 but alfo, that the Body or Parexchyma thereof, is fo 
compact and clofe: For although it confifts of Bladders, yet fuch, as 
are Twenty times {maller than in any other Part of a Plant of the like 
bignefs. Whereas, were the Aer copioufly mixed with the sap here, 
asin the Pith, Fruit, and other Parenchymows Parts 5 it would give {o 
quick a Ferment to the Sap, as to dilate and amplify the Bladders of 
the Seed,beyond its prefent compact and durable Texture ; and fo expofe 
it, either to a precipitant Growth, or fudden Rot. Wherefore, as 
the Seed-Caje is the Womb; fo the Attire ( which always ftands upon 
or round about it ) and thofe Parts of the Sap herinto difcharged ; 
are, asit were, the Mex/és or Flowers, by which the sap in the Womb, 
is duly qualified, for the approaching Geveration of the Seed, 
6. §. And as the young and early Attire before it opens, anfwers 
to the Afenfes in the Femal : {fo is it probable, that afterward when it 
opens or cracks, it performs the Office of the Male. This is hinted from 
the Shape of the Parts. For inthe Florid Attire, the Blade doth not 
unaptly refemble a fmall Pewis, with the Sheath upon it, asits Preputi- 
um. And in the Seed-like Awire, the feveral Thece, are like fo many 
little Tefficles. And the G/obulets and other {mall Particles upon the 
Blade or Penis, and inthe Thece, are asthe Vegetable Sperme. Which, 
fo foon as the Penis is exerted, or the Tefficles come to break, falls 
down upon the Seed-Ca/fé or Womb, and fo Touches it with a Prolj- 
fick Virtue. 
7. §. Confentaneous hereto it is alfo obfervable, That thofe Herbs 
generally have the Seed-like Attere,which either produce a greater Quan- 
tity of Seed, or a Perennial Root : and that there is no Tree, with the 
Florid Attire. Asif the other, becaufe it contains a far greater Pro- 
portion of the abovefaid Particles, that is, of sperm; ‘tis able to beget 
amore Numerous, Vivaceous, or Gigantick Birth, 
8. §. That thefame Plavt is both Male and Female, may the ra- 
ther be believed, in that Swails, and fome other Avimals, are fach. 
And the Parts which imitatethe Aenfés, and the Sperm, are not pre- 
cifely the fame: the former, being the External Parts of the Attire, and 
the Sup, which feeds them the latter, the {mall Particles or moyft 
Powder which the External inclofe. 


