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the Perpetuity and Safety of the Species depends upon the Safety of the Seed and Fruit in a great meafure, I might therefore take notice of the peculiar Care the great God of Nature hath taken for the Confervation and Safety hereof: As particularly in fuch as dare to fhew their Heads all the Year,

Malpig. ib. p. 81. vid. plura in tract. de Seminum veget. p. 14. & paffim.

In Malpighi's Life, a Debate may be feen between him and Seign. Triumphetti, the Provoft of the Garden at Rome, whether the whole Plant be actually in the Seed. The Affirmative is maintained by Malpighi, with cogent Arguments; among which, this is one; Non preoccupatâ mente, oculis microfcopio armatis, luftret quafo Phafeolorum, feminalem plantulam nondum fatam, in quâ folia ftabilia, hacque ampla evidenter obfervabit; in eádem pariter gemmam, nodos, feu implantationes varias foliorum caulis deprehender. Caulem infignem fibris ligneis, & utriculorum feriebus conftantem confpicuè attinget. And whereas S. Triumphetti had objected, that vegetatione, metamorphofi, inedia plantas in alias degenerare, ut exemplo plurium conftat] pracipuè tritici in lolium, & lolii in triticum verfi. In answer to this, (which is one of the ftrongeft Arguments against Malpighi's Affertion) Malpighi replies, Nondum certum eft de integritate, & fucceffu experimenti, nam facienti mihi,& amicis, tritici metamorphofis non ceffit. Admiffa tamen metamorphofi, quoniam hac neglecta cultura, aut vitio foli, aut aëris contingit. ideo ex morbofo & monftruofo affectu non licet inferre permanentem ftatum à Naturâ intentum. Obfervo plantas fylveftres cultura varias reddi, &c. I have more largely taken notice of Malpighi's Answer, because he therein thews his Opinion about the Tranfmutation of Vegetables. Vid. Malpig. Vit. p. 67.

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So Mr. Lewenhoeck, after his nice Obfervations of an OrangeKernel, which he made to germinate in his Pocket, c. concludes, Thus we see, how small a Particle, no bigger than courfe Sand (as the Plant is reprefented) is increased, &c. A plain Demonftration, that the Plant, and all belonging to it, was actually in the Seed, in the young Plant, its Body, Root, &c. Philof. Tranf. No. 287. See alfo Raii Cat. Cant. in Acer maj. from Dr. Highmore. But in all the Seeds which I have viewed, except the Maple, the Plant appears the plainest to the naked Eye, and alfo very elegant, in the Nux Vomica.

Natura

Year, how fecurely their Flower, Seed or Fruit is locked up all the Winter, together with their Leaves and Branches, in their Gems (k), and well fenced

Natura non obfervat magnitudinis proportionem inter semina plantas ab iifdem ortas, ita ut majus femen majorem femper producat plantam, minus minorem. Sunt enim in genere herbarum non pauca, quarum femina arborum nonnullarum feminibus non dico aqualia funt, fed multo majora. Sic v. g. Semina Faba, &c. femina Ulmi, &c. multis vicibus magnitudine fuperant. Raii ubi fuprà, L. I. c. 13.

Filicem reliquafque Capillares herbas Semine carere Veteres plerique prodidere; quos etiam fecuti funt è Recentioribus nonnulli, Dodon aus, &c. Alii è contrà, Baubinus, &c. Filices & congeneres Spermatophoras effe contendunt : Partim quia Hiftoria Creationis, Genef. ii. 12. &c. Hanc fententiam veriffimam effe autopfia convincit. Fredericus Cafius, he faith, was the firft that difcovered these Seeds with the Help of a Microscope. And fince him, Mr. W. C. hath more critically obferved them. Among other Things obferved by that ingenious Gent. are thefe, Pixidula feu capfula femina continentes in plerifque hoc genus plantis perquam exili granulo arena vulgaris cinerea plus duplo minores funt; imò in nonnullis fpeciebus vix tertiam quartamve arenule partem magnitudine aquant, veficularum quarundam annulis aut fafciolis vermiformibus obvolutarum fpeciem exhibenNonnulla ex his veficulis 100 circiter femina continere deprehendebantur.adeo eximiâ parvitate ut nudo oculo prorfus effent invifibilia, nec nifi microfcopii interventu detegi poffent. Ofmunda Regalis, qua aliis omnibus Filicis fpecieantecellit -vafcula feminalia obtinet aquè cum reliquis congeneribus magnitudinis quorum immenfa & vifum fugiens parvitas cum magnitudine planta collata adeò nullam gerere proportionem invenietur, ut tantam plantam è tantillo femine produci attentum obfervatorem meritò in admirationem rapiat. Ray, ibid. L. 3. pag. 132. This W. C. was Mr. Wil. Cole, as he owneth in a Letter I have now in my Hands of his to Mr. Ray, of Oftob. 18. 1684.

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(k) Vegetantium genus, ut debitam magnitudinem fortiatur, fua mortalitatis jacturam fucceffivá prolis eductione reparet, ftatis temporibus novas promit partes, ut tandem emergentes Uteri, recentes edant Soboles. Emanantes igitur à caule, caudice, ramis, radicibus novella hujufmodi partes, non illico laxata extenduntur, fed compendio quodam coagmentata intra

fenced and covered there with neat and clofe Tunicks. And for fuch as dare not fo to expose themfelves, with what Safety are they preferved under the Coverture of the Earth, in their Root (1), Seed (m), or Fruit, till invited out by the kindly

folii axillam cubantes, non parum fubfiftunt, Gemme appellantur, &c. And then that great Man goes on to fhew the ad mirable various Methods of Nature, in repofiting in that little Compafs, fo large a Part of a Tree or Plant, the curious Structure of the Gems, the admirable Guard afforded them, and the Leaves, Flowers and Seed contained in them, Of which having taken Notice before, I pass over it now, and only refer to our Author Malpighi, and Dr. Grew, in the Places cited in Note (f) and (g).

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(1) Of Bulbous, and a great many more, probably of the far greater Number of Perennial Roots of Herbs, as Arum, Rape-Crowfoot, &c. it is very obfervable, that their Root is annually renewed, or repaired out of the Trunk or Stalk it felf. That is to fay, the Bafis of the Stalk continually, and by infenfible Degrees defcending below the Surface of the Earth, and hiding it felf therein, is thus both in Nature, Place and Office, changed into a true Root. So in Brown

wort, the Bafis of the Stalk finking down by Degrees, till it lies under Ground, becomes the upper Part of the Root; and continuing ftill to fink, the next Year becomes the lower Part: And the next after that, rots away; a new Addition being ftill yearly made out of the Stalk, as the elder Parts yearly rot away. Grew. ibid. L. 2. pag. 59. ubi plura vid.

(m) How fafe and agreeable a Confervatory the Earth is to Vegetables, more than any other, is manifeft from their rotting, drying, or being rendred infecund in the Waters, or the Air; but in the Earth their Vigour is long preserved. Thus Seeds particularly, Mr. Ray thinks fome, may probably retain their Fecundity for ten Years, and others lose it in five; but, faith he, In terra gremio latitantia, quamvis tot caloris, frigoris, humoris & ficcitatis varietatibus ibidem obnoxia, diutiùs tamen (ut puto) fertilitatem fuam tuentur quàm ab hominibus diligentiffimè cuftodita; nam & ego & alii ante me multi obfervarunt Sinapeos vim magnam enatam in aggeribus foffarum recèns factis inque areis gramineis effoffis, ubi poft hominum memoriam nulla unquam Sinapeos feges fuccreverat. Quam tamen non fpontè ortam fufpicor, fed è feminibus in terra per tot annos refiduis etiam prolificis. Ray. Hift. Pl. L. I. C. 13.

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Warmth

Warmth of the Spring! And when the whole Vegetable Race is thus called out, it is very pretty to obferve the Methods of Nature in guarding those infenfitive Creatures against Harms and Inconveniencies, by making fome (for Inftance) to lie down proftrate, and others, to clofe themfelves up (2) upon the Touch of Animals, and the moft to fhut up their Flowers, their Down (0), or other their like Guard, upon the Close and Cool of the Evening, by Means of Rain, or other Matters that may be prejudicial to the tender Seed.

And now to thefe Confiderations relating to the Seed, I might add the various Ways of Nature in diffipating and fowing it, fome being for this end, winged with light Down, or Wings, to be conveyed about by the Winds; others being laid in

(n) Planta nonnulla Efchynomena Veteribus dicta, Recentieribus Viva, Senfitiva, & Mimofa, haud obfcura fenfus indicia produnt; fiquidem folia earum manu aut baculo tacta,

paululum compreffa, pleno etiam meridie, fplendente Sole, illico fe contrabunt; in nonnullis etiam fpeciebus cauliculi teneriores concidunt & velut marcefcunt; quod idem ab aëre frigidiore admiffa patiuntur. Ray. Hift. Pl. T. 1. L. 18. App. S. 2. c. 2. p. 978.

(0) I have obferved that many, if not moft Vegetables, do expand their Flowers, Down, c. in warm, Sun-hiny Weather, and again close them towards Evening, or in Rain, . efpecially at the Beginning of Flowering, when the Seed is young and tender; as is manifest in the Down of Dandelion, and other Downs; and eminently in the Flowers of Pimpernel; the opening and fhutting of which, are the Country-Man's Weather-wifer; whereby Gerard faith, he foretelleth what Weather fhall follow the next Day; for faith he, if the Flowers be clofe shut up, it betokeneth Rain and foul Weather; contrarywife, if they be spread abroad, fair Weather. Ger. Herb. B. 2. c. 183.

Eftalia [arbor in Tylis] fimilis, foliofior tamen, rofeique floris; quem noctu comprimens, aperire incipit Solis exortu, meridie expandit. Incola dormire eam dicunt, Plin. Nat, Hift. L. 12. C. II.

claftick,

elaftick, fpringy Cafes, that when they burft and crack, dart their Seed at convenient Distances, performing thereby the Part of a good Husbandman (p); others by their agreeable Tafte and Smell,

(p) So foon as the Seed is ripe, Nature taketh several Me thods for its being duly Sown; not only in the opening of the Uterus, but also in the make of the Seed it felf. For, First, The Seeds of many Plants, which affect a peculiar Soil or Seat, as of Arum, Poppy, &c. are heavy and small enough, without further Care, to fall directly down into the GroundBut if they are fo large and light, as to be expos'd to the Wind, they are often furnish'd with one or more Hooks, to stay them. from fraying too far from their proper Place So the Seeds of Avens have one fingle Hook; thofe of Agrimony and Goosegrafs, many; both the former loving a warm Bank; the latter, an Hedge for its Support. On the contrary, many Seeds are furnish'd with Wings or Feathers; partly with the Help of the Wind to carry them, when ripe, from off the Plant, as of Ash, &c. and partly to enable them to make their Flight more or lefs abroad, that fo they may not, by falling together, come up too thick; and that if one should miss a good Soil or Bed, another may hit. So the Kernels of Pine have Wings yet shortwhereby they fly not into the Air, but only flutter upon the Ground. But thofe of Typha, Dandelion, and most of the pappous Kind have long numerous Feathers, by which they are wafted every Way.- Again, there are Seeds which are fcatter'd not by flying abroad, but by being either Spirted or Aung away. The first of thofe are Wood forrel, which having a running Root, Nature fees fit to fow the Seeds at fome Diftance. The doing of which is effected by a white furdy Cover, of a tendinous or springy Nature. This Cover, fo foon as it begins to dry, bursts open on one Side, in an Inftant, and is violently turn'd Infide outward and so smartly throws off the Seed. The Seeds of Hart's-tongue, is flung or shot away

by the curious Contrivance of the Seed cafe, as in Codded-Afmart, only there the spring moves and curls inward, but here outward, viz. Every Seed-cafe is of a spherick Figure, and girded about with a sturdy Spring. The Surface of the Spring resembles a fine Screw. So foon as this Spring is become stark enough, it fuddenly breaks the Cafe into two Halfs, like two little Cups, and fo flings the Seed. Grew. ib. p. 199. and in Tab. 72. all thefe admirable Artifices are handfomely reprefented.

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