into the Lye and under the Receiver, one of which was placed with that End upwards that grew next the Trunk of the Tree, and t'other in a contrary Position; then exhaufting the Air, we obferv'd that a great many Air bubbles afcended equally out of the Bark of each of 'em; but that out of the middle of the Wood, the Air flowed as it were in an entire Stream, both at the under and upper End; and when we cut away a little of the Bark from the Ends, we obferved the fame, as also when we put in Wood without Bark, and Bark without Wood, the Air came out very strongly from both. About a Week afterwards we took a fingle Afparagus that had been two Days out of the Earth, cut it to pieces, and obferved a great deal of Air to come out of it, but nothing near fo much as what came out of the Elm-Twig; most of the Air came likewife out of that End that stood. upwards in the Earth: There appeared fome little. Bubbles at the other end, and fome came alfo, but not many, out of the fides of the Afparagus.

On the 7th of June 1709, we tied a little piece of a Branch of a Morello-Tree to two Nails, and. faften'd 'em with a Thread to the Hook of the Receiver of the Air Pump; fo that being put into a Glass full of Water, it hung about three Fingers breadth under the Surface of it.

After that, we took a little piece of the Stalk of the Flower, called the Imperial Crown, and tied two Nails to it likewife, to make it fubfide in the Water; then drawing off the Air, we obferv'd a whole ftream of Air rifing upwards out of both; from whence it appears,that the Stalks or Trunks of Plants do contain à great deal of Air in them, and; what was before difcover'd by the Microscope, is hereby confirmed.

To

To examine into this Matter a little more ftrictly in Leaves, we tied five Morello-Leaves together by the Stalks, and then cut off about half of em, to the end, that the Tubes or Canals in their little Ribs being open'd, the Air might more eafily be drawn out of them; then putting them into a Glafs of Water, after the fame manner as before, we could obferve fcarce any Air to come out of the Sides of the Leaves that had been "open'd by cutting, but the Superficies or flat Parts of the Leaves were cover'd with clear Airbubbles, infomuch that those Bubbles fwelling bigger by our continuing to pump, the Leaves and the Nails to which they were faften'd, rose up to the Top of the Water; but upon letting in fome Air again, the little Bubbles disappeared as ufual, and the Leaves fubfided.

From hence likewife it feems to follow, that Leaves perfpire very much, and that their Pores are more numerous than thofe of the Stalks or Trunks of Plants. There was likewife this re'markable difference between the Leaves and Trunks, namely, that the Trunks did indeed emit whole Streams of Air from their open Ends, but that there were none, or very few, Air-bubbles externally upon the Bark: Whereas on the contrary, there feemed to be very little Air flowing from thofe Parts of the Leaves where they were cut, but a great many Bubbles upon their Superficiés.

Perhaps by comparing all this together, there might be a Foundation for a probable Hypothefis, to fhew the manner how the Sap is circulated in Plants, namely, by the Rarefraction of the Air in the Day-time, when 'tis warmed by the Sun, and by the Ceffation thereof in the Cold of the Night; but this is not our Purpose here, and a

greater

greater Number and Series of Experiments would be requifite to confirm the fame. Our view in mentioning these Matters, is, Firft, to fhew that we ought not to doubt of what has been advanced concerning the Plants by thofe Gentlemen that have examined them fo far with Microfcopes: And, Secondly, to open a way whereby the Manner of Growing, and the Circulation of the Sap in Plants, may be traced after another manner than by the help of Microscopes; and thus by using different Methods to difcover these surprising Wonders of the Creator, a greater progrefs may be made for his Glory and Honour.

SECT. XXVII, and XXVIII. The Structure of Flowers, with their Supporters, and without.

IF we pass from the Leaves to the Flowers, which confift of the fame Matter as all other Plants, viz. of Air and several Sap-Veffels, otherwife termed Wood-Veffels, and of a veffical StruAure, befides which, we find that moft Flowers proceed from a Bud or Knot (which the Florists call the Calyx) the Leaves or Parts of which do firft cover the Flower contained therein, whilst it is yet unable to bear the Inconveniences of the Weather, and defend it from the fame; and after that the

that the lower is blown, they keep up its Leaves,

that they may not hang confusedly together, but regularly reprefent their Beauties to the Eyes of the Beholders. Let us contemplate a Carnation, for Inftance, and fee first how its green Bud fecures the Leaves of the Flower, and then keeps together the little weak Stalks thereof, that it may nourish the Seed; and moreover, how it is indented at Top, in order to close the Flower the better while it is in Bud, and afterwards to spread

out

out more largely, in order to fupport the Leaves. more ftrongly. Let us obferve the fame in Rofes, and a thousand other Flowers, all which are furnifhed with fuch a Calyx and Supporters proceeding out of it, fome with one circular Leaf, as is the Carnation, others of more, as the Rofes, others of little Leaves lying upon one another, like the Scales of Fishes, as the Cyanos or CornFlower; others after infinite other Manners, yet all ferving for the fame Ufe; so are the Artichoaks made of fuch Cups only, with Leaves lying upon one another.

Now fince thefe things (all concurring to the fame End in fuch an infinite number of Flowers) cannot be afcrib'd to mere Chance, to the end, that no Body may deduce the fame from an ignorant Neceffity flowing from the Structure of all Flowers, fince this happens in almost all that stand in need of being preferved in the Bud, and of being fupported when blown, we fhall fee, that in all Flowers, the Leaves of which are ftrong and powerful enough not to want fuch Supporters, fuch Cups or Leaves diftinct from the Flowers are not to be found at all: Of this kind are white Lillies, all Tulips, and many forts of other Bulbous or Onion Flowers, which are cover'd in the Bud with a thin green Leaf, and when blown, fupport themselves by the Strength of their own Leaves only: Thus we fee in Crocus or Saffron, which comes up in the Spring, and which having no Calyx or Bud fufficient to cover it, that it is provided with a white membranous Tegument, by which it's Flower is preferved from the pernicious Effects of the Air whilft it is yet tender.

SECT. XXIX. Some Particulars about Flowers.

Of the Leaves of Flowers, and of their ravishing Agreements, as they affect the Sight and Smell of every Body, we fhall not take any notice here, they being fo well known; only it is to be obferved, that as the Gup and Leaves furround and preferve the Flowers, fo likewife the Flower-Leaves do fecure the Heart or inmoft Part thereof, and that many of 'em are cloathed with a Down or Natural Farina about their Heart, in order to provide a fofter and warmer Lodging for the little Sprout in the middle of 'em.

We shall likewise pass by all the wonderful Particulars that Malpighi and Grew have already noted in Flowers, fuch as their little Horns and little Hairs, their Magazines and Store-Houses of flimy and terebinthinous Matters; particularly the Places where a Sweet and Honey Liquor is feparated and preferved in their Leaves.. They that fee this Liquid Matter gather'd by the Bees, and ferving fo many Purposes to Mankind, will at leaft learn thereby, that it is not without reafon, that he who acknowledges a Glorious GOD for the Maker of all things, may, befides the Adorablenefs of his Wisdom, obferve alfo from hence, the Greatnefs of his Bounty and Favour to us.

Nor fhall we take upon us to defcribe in this place the Parts of Flowers exclufive of their Buds and Leaves, forafmuch as the fame are not yet compleatly known to us; fuch as for Inftrance the Places in the Heart or Middle thereof, in which the Seed is formed; nor yet the little Threads, nor the ftiff long Excrefcences that bear other little Bodies, full of a certain fine Duft at the Top of 'em, fuch as Lillies and the like; the former of