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a. "3

The Dibner Library
of the History of
Science and Technology

SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION LIBRARIES

VEGETABLE STATICKS:

Or, An Account of fome

Statical Experiments
ON foe |

SAP in VEGETABLES:

Being an ESSAY towards a
Natural Hiftory of Vegetation.

Alfo, a SPECIMEN of

An AtremprT to Analyfe the Arr,
By a great Variety of
CHYMI1O-STATICAL EXPERIMENTS;

Which were read at feveral Meetings. before
the ROYAL SOCIETY.

Quid eft in his, in quo non nature ratio tatelligentis appa-
reat? Tul. de Nat. Deor.

wm Eteninm Experimentorum longe major eft fubtilitas,
quam fenfis ipfitsmmes Itaque eo rem deducimus, ut fenfus
tantum de Experimento, Experimentum de re gudicet.
Fran. de Verul. Inftauratio magna.

Py STEPH. PALES; Be Dy FIRS.
Rector of Farringdon, Hamppore and Minifter of
Teddington, pla

LONDON:

Printed for W. and J. Innys, at the Weft End of St. Paul's;
and T. W. OODWARD, over-againit St. Dun/fan’s Church
in Fleetftreet. M, DCC, XXVIL.

Feb. 16, 1725. Lwprimaiur

Isaac NEWTON, Pr. Reg, Soe,

QK

1 O

His Royal Highnefs

Ger OR re

Prince of W ALES.

May it pleafe your Royal Highnefs,
_ Humbly offer the follow-

& ing Experiments to Your
Highnefs’s Patronage, to pro-
teck them from the reproaches

i 2 that

DEDICATION.

that the ignorant are apt
unreafonably to caft on re-
fearches of this kind, notwith-
ftanding they are the only fo-
lid and rational means where-
by we may ever hope to make
any real advance in the know-
ledgeof Nature: A knowledge
worthy the attainment of
Princes.

And as Solomon, the greatett
and wifeft of men, deigned
not to inquire into the nature
of Plants, from the Cedar in
Lebanon, to the FLyffop that
Springeth out of the wall: So it
will not, | prefume, be an un-
acceptable entertainment to

Your
eS tee

DY¥ODICAT £0 N.
Your Royal Highnefs, at
leaft at Your leifure hours ;
but will rather add to the plea-
fure, with which vegetable
Nature in her prime verdure
charms us: To fee the fteps
fhe takes in her productions,
and the wonderful power fhe
therein exerts: The adinirable
provifion fhe has made for
them, not only vigoroufly to
draw to great heights plen-
ty of nourifhment from the
earth ; but alfo more fublimed
and exalted food from the air,
that wonderful fluid, which is
of fuch importance to the life
of Vegetables and Animals:

a 2 And

DEDICATION.
And which by infinite com-
binations with natural bodies,
produces innumerable furpriz-
ing effects ; many inftances
of which I have nets: pro-
duced.

The fearching into the works
of Nature, whileit delightsand
inlarges the mind, and {trikes
us with the ftrongeft aflurance
of the wifdom and power of
the divine Architect, in fram-
ing for us fo beautiful and
well regulated a world, it does
at the fame time convince us
of his conftant benevolence
and goodnefs towards us..

That

DEDICATION.
_ That this great Author of
Nature may fhower down on
Your Royal Highnefs an a-
bundance of his Bleffings, both
Spiritual and Temporal, is
the fincere prayer of

Your Royal Highnefs’s
Moft Obedient

Alumble Servant,

STEPHEN Hates.

A 4 HiME

T fe &

PREFACE

HERE have been within lefs than a
Century very great and ufeful difco-
vertes made in the amazingly beautiful ftruc-
ture and nature of the animal economy ; neither
have Plants palfed unobferved in this mqui-
fitive age, which has with fuch diligence ex-
tended its inquiries in fome degree, into almoft
every branch of nature's inexbauftible fund
of wonderful works.

We find in the P hilofophical Tranfactzons,

and in the Hiiftory of the Royal Academy of
Sciences, accounts of many curious Experi-
ments and Obfervations made from time to
time on Vegetables, by feveral ingenious and
enquifitive Perfons: But our countryman
‘Dr. Grew and Malpighi were the firft, who,
tho’ in very diftant countries, did nearly at
the fame time, unknown to each other, ngage
in avery diligent and thorough inquiry into
the firucture of the veffels of Plants ; a pro-
vince, which till then had layn uncultivated.

They

en

ST he APaRaiE PAC E. il

They have givenus very acenrate and faithful
accounts of the firucture of the parts, which
they carefully traced, from their firft minute
origin, the feminal Plants, to their fullgrowth
and maturity,thro their Roots, Trunk, Bark,
Branches, Gems, Shoots, Leaves, Bloffoms
and Fruit. Inall which they obferved anexadt
and regular [ymetry of Parts moft curioufly
wrought in fuch manner, that the great work
of Vegetation might effectually be carried on,
by the uniform co-operation of the feveral
Parts, according to the different offices affign-
ed them by nature. — |
Had they fortuned tohave fallen into this
ftatical way of inquiry, perfons of their great
application and fagacity had doubtlefs made
confiderable advances in the knowledge of the
nature of Plants. This is the only fure way
to meafure the feveral quantities of nourz{b-
ment, which Plants tmbibe and perfpire, and
thereby to fee what influence the different flates
of Air have on them. This is the likelieft me-
thod to find out the Sap’s velocity, andthe
force with which it is imbibed: As alfo to
eftimate the great power that nature exerts
an extending and pufhing forth her produétions,

by the expanfion of the Sap.
About

ili The? RSPAS
About 20 years fince, I made feveral he-
maftatical Experiments onDogs, ana 6 years
afterwards repeated the fame on Horfes and
ether Animals, in order to find out the real
force of the blood in the Arteries, fome of
which are mentioned im the third chapter of
this book: At which times I wifhed I could
have made the like Experiments, to difcover
the force of the Sap in Vegetables; but def-
paired of ever effecting it, till about feven
years fince, by mere. accident I hit upon it,
while I was endeavouring by feveral ways te
flop the bleeding of an old fiem of a Vine, which
was cut too near the bleeding feafon, which I
feared might killit : Having, after other means
proved ineffectual, tyed a piece of bladder over
the tranfverfe cut of the Stem, I found the
Jere ce of the Sap did greatly extend the bladder ;
evhence I concluded, that if a long glafs Tube
cuere fixed there in the fame manner, as I had
before done to the Arteries of feveral living
Animals, I fhould thereby obtain the real af-
cending force of the Sap tn that Stem, which
fucceeded according to my expettation, and
hence it is, that I have been infenfibly led on,
to make farther and farther refearches by va-
riety of Experiments.
As

the DRE A GE iv

‘As the art of Phyfick has of late years been
much improved by a greater knowledge of the
animal economy ; [0 doubtlefs a farther infight
into the vegetable economy muft needs pvro-
portionably improve our skill in Agriculture
and Gardening, which gives me reafon to
hope, that inquiries of this kind will be ac-
ceptable to many, who are intent upon impro-
ving thofe innocent, delightful, and beneficial
Arts : Since they cannot be infenfible that the
moft rational ground for Succefs za this lau-
dable purfuit muft arife from a greater in-
fight into the nature of Plants.

Finding by many Experiments in the Kae
chapter, that the Aw is plentifully infpired
by Vegetables, not only at their roots, but
alfa thro’ feveral parts of their Trunks and
Brauches ; this put me upon making a more
particular znquary into the nature of the Air;
and to. difcover, if poffible, wherein its great
tmportance to the life and fupport of Kege-
tables might confit ; on which account I was
obliged to delay the publication of the reft of
thefe Experiments, which were read two years
face befove the Royal Society, t2ll I had made
Some progref{s in. this inquiry. An account of
which L have given in the fixth chapter.

I Where

= Them EYE * AY ee.
Where wt appears by many chymio ftatical
Experiments, that there zs diffufed thro all
natural, mutually attracting bodies, a large
proportion of particles, which, as the firft great
Author of this important difcovery, Sir Waac
Newtono“/erves, are capable of being thrown
off from denfe bodies by heat or fermentation
into a vigoroufly elaftick and permanently re-
peliing ftate: And alfo of returning by fer-
mentation and fometimes without it, into
denfe bodies; It 1s by this amphibious pro-
perty of the air, that the main and principal
operations of Nature are carried on; for a
mals of mutually attracting particles, with-
out being blended with a due proportion of
elaftick repelling ones, would inmany cafes foon
coalefce into a fluggifh lump. It 2s by thefe pro-
perties of the particles of matter that he folves
the principal Phenomena of Nature. AndDr.
Freind has from the fame principles given a
very ingenious Rationale of the chief opera-
tions in Chymifiry. It is therefore of impor-
tance to have thefe very operative properties of
natural bodies further afcertained by more
Experiments and Obfervations: And it zs
with fatisfaction that we fee them more and
more confirmed to us, by every farther enquiry
we

athe BORGELE AWC TE. vi

wemake; asthe following Experiments will
plainly prove, by foewing how great the power
of the attraction of acid fulphureous partichs
muft be at fome little diftance from the point
of contact, to be able moft readily to fubdue
and fix elaftick aereal particles, which repell
with a force fuperior to vaft incumbent pref-
fares: Which particles we find are thereby
changed from a ftrongly repelling, to as
ftrongly an attracting ftate: And that ela-
fticity is no immutable property of atr, is fur-
ther evident from thefe Experiments ;becaufe
it were impoffible for [uch great quantities of
it to be confined in the fubjtances of Animals
and Vegetables, in an elaftick flate, without
rending their conflituent parts with a vaft
explofion.

I have been careful in making, and faithful
an relating the refult of thefe Experiments, and
wifh I could be as happy in drawing the pro-
per inferences from them. However I may fall
faort at firft fetting out in this fiatical way of
inquiring into the nature of Plants, yet there is
good reafon to believe that confiderable advan.
ces in the knowledge of their nature may in
procefs of time be made, by refearches of this
kind.

4 Ana

vil Thé PRES A GO

And I hope the publication of this Specimen
of what I have hitherto done, will put others
upon the fame purfuzts, there being in fo Jarge
a field, and among {uch aninnumerable variety
of fubjects, abundant room for many heads
and hands to be employed in the work: Kor
the wonderful and fecret operations of Nature
are foinvolved ana intricate, fo far out of the
reach of our fenfes, as they prefent themfetves
to us in their natural order, that it is im-

polficle for the moft fagacious and penetrating
genius to pry into them, unlefs he will be at
the pans of analyling Nature, by a numerous
and regular feries of :xpertments ; which are
the only folid foundation whence we may rea-
fonably expect to make any advance, in the

real knowledge of the nature of things.

Luft not omit here publickly to acknowledge,
that I have in feveral refpects been much ob-
liged to my ingenious and learned neighbour
and friend Robert Mathers of the Middle
Temple, E/q; for bis affiftance herein.

Ei RRA LS.

AGE 30. for 3, read 3. p. 32. 1. 6. 1. harden, p. 46.1.9. ©. Fig. 8.
p. 48. 1, 12. r. were grafted the. p. 62. 1. 6 t. myrtles. p. 74. 1. 26,27-
r. bunches. p. 84.1, 11. dele above. p. 111. 1. 3.7. ede? os pe
345. 1.6.1. disbarked. ibid. 1. 13. ©. ae P: 176. 1. 18. 4. nearly 2 = Pe

247. 1. 22.1. Experiment cyiii. p. 341, iig ate ae bony oF. Pp» 344.

i, ‘18. dele 8.
The

i Dads se ow

CONTENTS.
GHA Pe ol
¥ \Xperiments, foewimg the quantities of

Ls mozfture tmbibed and perfpired by Plants
ana Trees. ps 4:

CHAP. IL

Experiments, whereby to find out the force
with which Trees imbibe moifiure. p.76.—

OF 5 p< i ati Gh

Experiments, foewing the force of the fap
an the Vine inthe bleeding feafon. pp. 100.

(CA PV,

Experiments, fhewing the ready lateral mo-
tion of the Sap, and confequently, the la-
terval communicationof the Sap-veffels. The
free paffage of it, from the {mall Branches

towards

ThesC OuN.T: E ais:

towards the Stem, as well as from the
Stem to the Branches, with an account
of fome, Experiments, relating to the Cir-
culation, or Non-Circulation of the Sap.

p28

C HiA 2 ¥.
Experiments, whereby to prove, that a con-
fiderable quantity of air is infpired by
Plants. p. 148.

Coit Ack vie
Al Specimen of an attempt to analyfe the
Aur by chymio-ftatical Experiments, which
foew, in how great a proportion Air is
wrought into the compofition of Animal,
Vegetable and Mineral Subftances: And
withal, how readily it refumes its elaf-
tick State, when in the dzffolution of thofe
Subfiances tt is difingaged from them.

P. 155-

CHA Pavia.
Of Vegetation. p. Jize
The Conclufion. | p. 358.

T He

DH E

INTRODUCTION.

HE farther refearches we make in-

to this admirable fcene of things,

the more beauty and harmony we
feein them: And the ftronger and clearer
convictions they give us, of the being, power
and wifdom of the divine Archite@, who
has made all things to concur with a won-
derful conformity, in carrying on, by va-
rious and innumerable combinations of mat-
ter, fuch a circulation of caufes, and effets,

as was neceflary to the great ends of na-
ture.

And fince weare aflured that the all wife
Creator has obferved the moft cxa& propor-
tions, of number, weight and meafure, in
the make of all things; the moft likely way
therefore, to get any infight into the na-
ture of thofe parts of the creation, which
come within our obfervation, muft in all
reafon be to number, weigh and meafure.
And we have much encouragement to pur-

B fue

‘5 Vegetable Staticks.

fue this method, of fearching into the nature
of things, from the great fuccefs that has
attended any attempts of this kind.

Thus, in relation to thofe Planets which
revolve about our Sun, the great Philofo-
pher of our age has, by numbering and
meafuring, difcovered the exact proportions
that are obferved in their periodical revo-
lutions and diftances from their common
centers of motion and gravity: And that
God has not only comprehended the duft
of the earth ina meafure, and weighed the
mountains in f[cales, and the hills in a ba-
lance, Ufa. xl. 12. but that he alfo holds the
vatt revolving Globes, of this our folar Sy-
ftem, moft exa&ly poifed on their common
center of gravity.

And if we refleé& upon the difcoveries
that have been made in the animal cecono-
my, we fhall find that the moft confider-
able and rational accounts of it have been
chiefly owing to the ftatical examination
of their fuids, vze. by enquiring what quan-
tity of fluids, and folids diflolved into fluids,
the animal daily takes in for its fupport
and nourifhment: And with what force
and different rapidities thofe fluids are car-

ried

Legetable Staticks. >
ried about in their proper channels, accord-
ing to the different fecretions that are to
be made from them: And in what pro-
portion the recrementitious fluid is convey-
ed away, tomake room for frefh fupplies ;
and what portion of this recrement na-
ture allots to be carried off, by the feveral
kinds of emundctories and excretory duéts.
And fince in vegetables, their growth and
the prefervation of their vegetable life is
promoted and maintained, as in animals,
by the very plentiful and regular motion
of their fluids, which are the vehicles or-
dained by nature, to carry proper nutriment
to every part; it is therefore reafonable to
hope, that in them alfo, by the fame me-
thod of inquiry, confiderable difcoveries
may in time be made, there being, in ma-
ny ref{pects, a great analogy between plants
and animals. Wipe le

B 2 CHAP:

4 Vegetable Staticks.

CHORRRAR Brow:

Lixperiments, foewing the quantities imbibed —
and perfpired by Plants and Trees.

ExPERIMENT I.

ULY 3.1724. in order to find out the
quantity imbibed and perfpired by the

Sun-Flower, I took a garden-pot (Fig. 1.)
with a large Sun-Flower, a, 3 feet + + high,
which was purpofely planted in it when
young. |

I covered the pot with a plate of thin
milled lead, and cemented all the joints faft,
foas no vapor could pafs, but only air, thro’
a {mall glafstubed nine inches long, which
was. fixed purpofely near the ftem of the.
plant, to make a free communication with:
the outward air, and that under.the leaden
plate.
I cemented alfo another fhort glafs tube

ito the plate, two inches long and one
ie in diameter. Thro’ this tube I watered
i e plant, and then flopped it up with a cork;
I Ropped up aifo the holes z, / at the bottom
of the pot with corks,

a
o

I weighed

Vegetable Staticks. | 5

I weighed this pot and plant morning
and evening, for fifteen feveral days, from
Fuly 3. to Aug. 8. after which I cut off the
plant clofe to the leaden plate, and then
covered the ftump well with cement; and

upon weighing found there perfpired thro’
the unglazed porous pot two ounces every

twelve hours day, which being allowed in
the daily weighing of the plant and pot, I
found the egreateft perfpiration of twelve
hours in a very warm dry day, to be one
pound fourteen ounces; the middle rate of
perfpiration one pound four ounces. The
per{piration of a dry warm night, without
any fenfible dew, was about three ounces;
but when any fenfible, tho’ fmall dew, then
the perfpiration was nothing; and when a
large dew, or fome little rain in the night,
the plant and pot was increafed in weight
two orthreeounces. N. B. The weights I
made ufe of were Avoirdupoife wezghts.

I cut off all the leaves of this plant, and
laid them in five feveral parcels, according
to their feveral fizes, and then meafured
the furface of a leaf of each parcel, by lay-
ing over it a large lattice made with threads,
in which the little fquares were 4 of an inch

B 3 | each ;

6 Fegetable Staticks.

each; by numbering of which I had the fur-
face of the leaves in f{quare inches, which
multiplied by the number of the leaves in
the correfponding parcels, gave me the area
of all the leaves ; by which means I found
the furface of the wholeplant, above ground,
to be equal to §616 f{quare inches, or 39
{quate icet.

I dug up another Sun-flower, nearly of
the fame fize, which had eight main roots,
reaching fifteen inches deep and fideways
from the ftem: It had befides a very thick
bufh of lateral roots, from the eight main
roots, which extended every way in a He-
mifphere, about nine inches from the fem
and main roots,

In order to get an eftimate of the length
of all the roots, Itook one of the main roots,
with its laterals, and meafured and weighed
them,and then weighed the other feven roots,
with their laterals, by which means I found
the fum of the length of allthe roots to be
no lefsthan 1448 feet.

And fuppofing the periphery of thefe roots
ata medium, tobe 74 of aninch, then their
furface will be 2286 fquare inches, or 15. 8

{quare

Vegetable Staticks. 7

f{quare feet; that is, equal to 4 of the furface
of the plant above ground.

If, as above, twenty ounces of water, at
a medium, perfpired in twelve hours day
(z. e.) thirty four cubick inches of water
(a cubick inch of water weighing 254. grains)
then the thirty four cubick inches divided
by the furface of all the roots, is = 2286
{quare inches; (Z. e.) s#$<is == 37, this gives
the depth of water imbibed by the whole
furface of the roots viz. 4; part of aninch.

And the furface of the plant above ground,
being 5616 f{quare inches, by which divid-
ing the 34 cubick inches, viz. <i¢5 == +15,
this givesthe depth perfpired by the whole
furface of the plant above ground, viz. zis
part of an inch. |

Hence, the velocity with which water
enters the furface of the roots to fupply the
expence of perfpiration, is to the velocity,
with which the fap perfpires, as 165 : 67,
Of,a8. spi res, Or nearly ass : 2.

The area of the tranfverfe cut of the mid-
dle of the ftem is a {quare inch; therefore
the areas, on the furface of the leaves, the
roots, and ftem, are 5616, 2286. t.

The velocities, in the furface of the leaves,

B 4 roots,

8 Vegetable Staticks.

roots, and tranfyerfe cut of the ftem, are
gained by a reciprocal proportion of the
furfaces.

leaves = s616 2m) eee iG (iach

: I
G.
S < roots —= 2286. | 3 (== ee
<x 2) °
s had =
flem: = I ce BB 34. inch.

Now, their perfpiring 34 cubick inches in
twelve hours day, there muft fo much pafs
thro’ the ftem in that time; and the velo-
city would be at the rate of 34 inches in
twelve hours, if the ftem were quite hollow,

In order therefore to find out the quanti-
ty of folid matter in the ftem, Fuly 27th at
7. a.m. 1 cut up even with the ground a
Sunflower ; it weighed 3 pounds, in thirty
days; it was very dry, and had wafted in all
2 pounds 4 ounces; that is+ of its whole
weight: So here is a fourth part left for
folid parts in the ftem, (by throwing a piece
of green Sun-flower ftem into water, I found
it very near of the fame {fpecifick gravity
with water) which filling up fo much of the
fiem, the velocity of the fap muft be increaf-
ed proportionably, uzz. ; part more, (by

| | reafon

Vegetable Staticks. 9
reafon of the reciprocal proportion) that 34
cubick inches may pafs the ftem in twelve
hours; whence its velocity in the ftem will be
45+ inches in twelve hours, fuppofing there
be no circulation nor return of the {ap
downwards.

If there be added to 34, (which is én leaft
velocity) + of it—= 114, this gives the greateft
velocity, vzz. 453. The fpaces being as 35
aso the velocitiesowill’be*4 23°: 4533 34.

But if we fuppofe the pores in the fur-
face of the leaves to bear the fame propor-
tion, as the area of the fap veffels in the
ftem do to the area of the ftem; then the
velocity, both in the leaves, root and ftem,
will be increafed in the fame proportion.

A pretty exa&t account having been ta-
ken, of the weight, fize, and furface of this
plant, and of the quantities it has imbibed
and perfpired, it may not be improper here,
to enter into a comparifon, of what is taken
in and perfpired by a human body, and this
plant.

The weight of a well fale man is 160
pound: The weight of the Sunflower is
three pounds, fo their weights are to each
Omer as 160 73, or as's3 2: ts

s oe The

10 Vegetable Staticks.

The furface of fuch human body is 15
fquare feet, or 2160 fquare inches.

The furface of the Sun-flower is 5616
fquare inches, fo its furface is to the furface
of a human body as 26: 10.

The quantity perfpir’'d by aman in twen-
ty four hours is 31 ounces, as Dr. Kez// found,
vide Medicina Statica Britannica, p. 14.

The quantity per{pired by the plant, in the
{fame time, is 22 ounces, allowing two ounces
for the perfpiration of the beginning, and
ending of the night in Fu/y, viz. after even-
ing and before morning weighing, juft be-
fore and after night.

So the perfpiration of a man to the Sun-
flower is aS 141: 100.

Abating the fix ounces of the thirty one
ounces, to be carried off by refpiration from
the lungs in the twenty four hours; (which
I have found by certain experiment tobe fo
much if not more) the twenty five ounces
multiplied by 437 -- 2. the number of grains
in an ounce Avoirdupois, the produ@ is
10037+ grains; which divided by 254, the
number of grains in acubick inch of water
gives 43 cubick inches perfpired by a man:
Which divided He the furface of i his body,

VIZ.

Vegetable Staticks. a1
Vig. 2160 f{quare inches, the quotient is
2 part ofa cubick inch perfpired off a {quare
inch in twenty four hours. Therefore in
equal furfaces and equal times the man per-
{pires ==, the plant 72;, or as 50: 15.
Which excefs in the man is occafioned
by the very different degrees of heat in each:
For the heat of the plant cannot be greater
than the heat of the circum-ambient air,
which heat in fummer is from 25 to 35 de-
grees above the freezing point, (ude Exp.
20.) but the heat of the warmeft external

parts of a man’s body is 54 fuch degrees;
and the heat of the blood 64 degrees;

Which is nearly equal to water heated to
fuch a degree, as aman can well bear to hold
his hand in, ftirring it about ; which heat is
fufficient to makea plentiful evaporation.
Qu. Since then the perfpirations of equal
areas, 1N a man anda Sunflower, areto each
other as 165: 50. or as 3+: 13 andfince the
degrees of heat areas 2: 1, muft not the fum
Or quantity of the areas of the pores lying
in equal furfaces, in the man and Sunflower,
be as 16 : 1? for it feems that the quantities
of the evaporated fluid will beas the degrees
of heat, and the {um of the areas of the pores
taken together, = 1 Dr.

12 Vegetable Staticks.

Dr. Keil/, by eftimating the quantities of
the feveral evacuations of his body, found
that he eat and drank, every 24 hours, 4
pounds 10 ounces.

The Sunflower imbibed and perfpired in
the fame time twenty two ounces, fo the
man’s food, to that of the plant, is as 74
ounces to 22 ounces, or as 7: 2.

But compared bulk for buik, the plant im-
bibes feventeen times more frefh food than
the man: For deducting five ounces, whick
Dr. Kezl allows for the feces alvz, there
will remain fixty nine ounces of frefh li-
quor, which enters a man’s veins; and an
equal quantity pafles off every 24 hours.
Then it will be found, that feventeen times
more new fluid enters the fap veffels of the
plant, and paffes off in 24 hours, than there
enters the veins of a man, and paffes off in
the fame time.

And fince, compared bulk for bulk, the
plant perfpires feventeen times more than
the man, it wastherefore very neceffary, by
giving it an extenfive furface, to make a large
provilion for a plentiful perfpiration in the
plant, which has no other way of difcharg-
ing fuperfluities; whereas there is provifion

. | | made

Vegetable Staticks. 13
made in man, to carry off above half of
what he takesin, by other evacuations.
For fince neither the furface of his body
was extenfive enough to caufe fufficient ex-
halation, nor the additional wreak , arifing
from the heat of his blood, could carry off a-
bove half the fluid, which was neceflary to be
difcharged every twenty four hours; there
was a neceflity of providing the kidneys,
to percolate the other half thro’.

And whereas it is found, that feventeen
times more “enters, bulk for bulk, into the
fap .veflels of the plant, than into the veins
of aman, and goes off intwenty four hours:
One reafon of this greater plenty of frefh
fluid, in the vegetable than the animal body,
may be, becaufe the fluid which is filtrated
thro’ the roots immediately from the earth,
is not near fo full fraighted with nutritive
particles as the chyle which enters the lacteals
of animals; which defect it was neceflary to
fupply by the entrance of a much greater
quantity of fluid.

And the motion of the fap is thereby much
accelerated, which in the heartlefs vege-
table would otherwife be very flow; it ha-

y ving

14 Vegetable Staticks.
ving probably only a progreflive and not a
circulating motion, as in animals.

Since then a plentiful perfpiration is
found fo neceffary for the health of a plane
or tree, ‘tis probable that many of their dif-
tempers are owing to a ftoppage of this
perfpiration, by inclement air.

The perfpiration in men is often ftopped
to a fatal degree; not only by the incle-
mency of the air, but by intemperance, and
violent heats and colds. But the more tem-
perate vegetable’s perfpiration can be ftopped
only by inclement air; unlefs by an un-
kindly foil, or want of genial moifture it is
deprived of proper or fufficient nourifhment. »

As Dr. Kezll obferved in himfelf a con-.
fiderable latitude of degrees of healthy pers.
fpiration, froma pound and halfto 3 pounds ;
I have alfo obferved, a healthy latitude of
perfpiration in this Sun-flower, from fixteen
to twenty cight ounces in twelve hours day.
The more it was watered, the more plenti-
fully it perfpired, (ceteris paribus) and with.
fcanty watering the per{piration much abated.

ExPERIMENT JI.

From July 34. to Aug. 34.1 weighed
for

Vegetable Staticks. iy

for nine feveral mornings and evenings a
middle fized Cabbage plant, which grew in
a garden pot, and was prepared with a leaden
cover as the Sunflower, Exper. 1/7. Its
greateft perfpiration in 12 hours day was 1
pound 9 ounces; its middle perfpiration
pound 3 ounces, == 32 cubick inches. Its
furface 2736 {quare inches, or 19 {quare feet.
Whence dividing the 32 cubick inches by
2736 {quare inches, it will be found that
a little more than the + ofan inch depth
perfpires off its furface in 12 hours day.
The area of the middle of the Cabbage
ftem is?$¢ of a fquare inch; hence the ve-
locity of the fap in the ftem, isto the ve-
locity of the perfpiring fap, on the furface
@b ENC CAVES, 25,2730, 222.) 420805)
ZAGS. KX 156
wore
ance is to be made for the folid parts of the
ftem, (by which the paflage is narrowed) the
velocity will be proportionably increafed.
The length ofall its roots 470 feet, their
periphery at a medium, of an inch, hence
their area will be 256 {quare inches nearly;
which being fo {mall, in proportion to the
area of the leaves, the fap muft go with
| near

for —- 4268. But ifan allow-

16 Vegetable Staticks.

near eleven times the velocity thro’ the fur:
face of the roots, that it does thro’ the fur-
face of the leaves.

And fetting the roots at a medium at 12
inches long, they muft occupy a hemifphere
of earth two feet diameter, that is 2.1 cu-
bick feet of earth.

By comparing the furfaces of the roots of
plants, with the furface of the fame plant
above ground, we fee the neceflity of cut-
ting off many branches, from atran{planted
tree : for if 256 fquare inches of root in
furface was neceffary to maintain this Cab-
bage in a healthy natural ftate: fuppofe upon
digging it up, in order totranfplant, half the
roots be cut off (which is the cafe of moft
young tranfplanted trees) then it’s plain, that
but half the ufual nourifhment can be car-
ried up, through the roots, on that account ;
and a very much lefs proportion on account
of the {mall hemifphere of earth, the new
planted fhortened roots occupy ; and on ac-_
count of the loofe pofition of the new turn-
ed earth, which touches the roots at firit
but in few points, ‘This (as well as ex-
perience) ftrongly evinces the great necet-
firy of well watering new plantations.

Which

Vegetable Staticks. 17
Which yet muft be done with caution,
for the skilful and ingenious Mr. Pdzlip
Miller, Gardiner of the Botanick garden at
Chelfea, in his very ufeful Gardiners and
Florifts Dictionary, fays, “ That he has often
<< feen trees, that have had too much water
‘« given them after planting, which has rotted
<< all the young fibres, as faft as they have
‘ been pufhed an and fo many times has
‘ killed the tree.” Supplement Vol. Me of
planting. And I obferved, that the dwarf
pear-tree, whofe root was fet in water, in
Fixper. 7. decreafed very much daily in the
quantity imbibed ; wzz. becaufe the fap vef-
fels of the roots, like thofe of the cut off
boughs, in the fame experiment, were fo
faturated and clogged with moifture, by ftand-
ing in water, that more of ir could not be
drawn up to fupport the leaves.

w

A

EXPERIMENT HII.

From July 28. to Aug.25. 1 weighed for
twelve feveral mornings and evenings, a
thriving Vzme growing in a pot; I was fur-
nifhed, with this and other trees, from his
Majefty’s garden at Alampton-court, by the

C favour

13 Vegetable Staticks.

favour of the eminent Mr. Wife. This
vine was preparcd with a cover, as the Sun-
flower was. Its greateft perfpiration in 12
hours day, was 6 ounces -+ 240 grains; its
middle perfpiration 5 ounces -+- 240 grains
==> .to.9. /cubick .mehes.

The furface ofits leaves was 1820 {quare
inches, or 12 iquare feet -++- 92 fquare
inches; whence dividing 9% cubick inches,
by the area of the leaves, it is found that
s$x part of an inch depth, perfpires off ip
12 hours day.

The area of a tranfverfe cut of its ftem,
Was equal to +; of a {quare inch: hence the
{fap’s velocity here to its velocity on the fur-
face of the leaves, will be as1820 % 4 ==
7280:1. Then the real velocity of the fap’s
motion.in the: tiem. is =— 45> ==<3'S taenes
in twelve hours.

This is fuppofing the ftem to be a hollow
tube: but by drying a large vine branch (in

chimney corner) which I cut off, in the
bleeding feafon, I found the folid parts were
f the ftem; hence the cavity thro’ which
he fap pailes, being fo much narrowed, its
velocity will be 4 times ag great, WS. 152
inches in 12 hours.

;
soy

But

Vegetable Staticks, 19

But it is further tobe confidered, that if
the fap moves in the form of vapor and
not of water, being thereby rarified, its ve-
locity will be increafed in a dire@ propor-
tion of the fpaces, which the fame quan-
tity of water and vapor would occupy :
And if the vapor is fuppofed to occupy 10
times the {pace which it did, when in the
form of water, then it muft move 10 times
fatter; fo that the fame quantity or weight
of each may pafs in the fame time, thro’
the fame bore or tube: And {uch allow-
ance ought to be made in all thefe calcu-
lations concerning the motion of the fap in
vegetables.

EXPERIMENT IV.

From Fuly 29. to Aug. 25. 1 weighed
for 12 feveral mornings and cyenings, a pa-
radife ftock Apple-tree, which grew in a
garden pot, covered with lead, as the Sun-
flower: it hadnot a bufhy head full of leaves,
but thin fpread, being in all but 163 leaves;
whofe furface was equal to 1589 fquare
inches, or 11 {quare feet -+- 5 fquare inches,

The greateft quantity it perfpired in 12

C 2 hours

20 Vegetable Staticks.

hours day, was 11 ounces, its middle quan-
tity 9 ounces, or 153 cubick inches.

The 15% cubick inches perfpired, divid-
-ed by the furface 1589 fquare inches, gives
the depth perfpired off the furface in 12 hours
day, vz. <>; 0f an inch.

The area of a tranfverfe cut of its ftem, L of
an inch fquare, whence the fap’s velocity
here, will be to its velocity on the furface
of the leaves as 1589 X 4== 6356: 1.

EXPERIMENT V.

From Fuly 28. to Aug. 25. 1 weighed for
ro feveral mornings and evenings a very
thriving Lzmon-tree, which grew in a gar-
den pot, and was covered as above: Its great-
eft per{piration in 12 hours day was 8 ounces,
its middle perfpiration 6 ounces, equal to
ro2 cubick inches. In the night it perfpired
fometimes half an ounce, fometimes no-
thing, and fometimes increafed 1 or 2 oun-
ces in weight, by large dew or rain.

The furface of its leaves was 2557
{quare inches, or 17 fquare feet + 59
fquare inches ; dividing then the 102 cubick
inches perfpired by this fyrface, gives the

4 depth

Vegetable Staticks. 2Y

depth perfpired in 12 hours day, vz. s33
of an inch.

r rsx inthe vinein 12
hours’ day.
s>in a man, ina day
and a night.
rzy in a Sunflower,
So the feveralfore- | in a day-and night.
going perfpirations 4 +-in acabbage, in 12
in equal areas are, | hours day.
| 1-7 in an apple-tree,
u

in 12 hours day.
>¢7 in a limon-tree,
in 12 hours day.

The area of the tranfverfe cur of the ftem
- GE tis imon tree’ was ——' ¢' 44 “of a
fquare inch; hence the fap’s velocity here,
will be to its velocity on the furface of the
25$7 XK TOO
14.4

This is fuppofing the whole ftem to be a hol-
low tube; but the velocity will be increafed
both in the ftem andthe leaves, in propor-
tion as the paffage of the fap is narrowed by

the folid parts.
By comparing the very different degrees
of perfpiration, in thefe 5 plants andtrees,
C 3 we

leaves, aS.1768: 1 for goes

22 Vegetable Staticks.

we may obferve, that the limon-tree, which
is an ever-green, perfpires much lefs than the
Sunflower, or than the Vine or theApple-tree,
whofe leaves fall off in the winter; and as
they perfpire lefs, fo are they the better able
to furvive the winter’s cold, becaufe they
Want proportionably but a very {miall fup-
ply of frefh nourifhment to fupport them :
Like the exangueous tribe of animals, frogs,
toads, tortoifes, ferpents, infects, &e. which
as they perfpire little; fo do they live the
whole winter without food. And this I
find holds true in 14 other different forts
of ever-greens, on which I have made Ex-
periments.

The above mentioned Mr. AdiHer made
the like experiments in the Botanick-gar-
den at Chelfeaz, ona plantain-tree, an aloe;
anda paradife apple-tree; which he weigh-
ed morning, noon, and night, for feve-
ral fucceflive days. I fhall here infert the di-
aries of them, as he communicated them to
mic, that the influence of the different tem-
peratures of the air, on the perfpiration of
thefe plants, may the better be feen.

The pots which he made ufe of were
glazed, and had noholesin their bottoms, as

eu garden

Vegetable Static

ks. 2%

garden pots ufually have; fo that all the

moifture, which was wanting

inthem upon

weighing , muft neceflarily be imbibed, by
the roots of thofe plants, and thence per-

{pired off thro’ their leaves.

“4 diary of the perfpiration of

the Mufa Ar:

bor, or Plantain-tree of tHe Weft-Indies.
The whole furface of the plant was 14
Square feet, 8 -+ 7 inches. The diffe-

rent degrees of heat of the

air, are here

noted by the degrees above the freezing
point in my Thermom. defcriv'd in Exp. 20.

1726 Weight a Weight] 4 [Weight 4

Sr =a
at 5 GOP abiz ile | at-6 g
May.|Morn. |2 |Noon.|3 | Even. |3

pd. ou. pd. ou. |pd. ou.
17/38 5 131 8 o [38 137 14 134
18 37 15 129 7 52,45 137 37,31

19 37 4 132 [37 2 35 i370 131
20 136 14 [34 136 12 |48 |36 rt 136
21 |36 10 [39 [37 © [5° 136 15 144

2z |36 14 [31 36 11435
23/36 6 [32 [36 a bel We 5 31 |

This evening 12 ounces of water were poured in

N, B. This plane
(tood in a flove, witha
{mall fire init; the af-
pe& of the flove was
South-eaft,

A hot clear day. This
morning he obferved,
large drops of water at
the exitémity of every
leaf, and we may obferve
‘hat it perfpires very
much this day.

An extream hotclear

ay.
Moderately hot but clear.
This morn, 12 ounces of
water poured into the
por. Mixture of Sun and
Clouds.

Much thunder; fome rain
and hail at a diftance.

A gloomy day but ne
rain.

to the por; and it was

removed from the ftove into acool roum, whereit hada free air but no

Gun, the windows being North-weft.

C 4

Calm

24

1726|Weight

at 6
May.| Morn.

pd. ou.

Vegetable Staticks.

27 136 104,23 |36
28 136 6 [223/36

35 10 }282135
35 00 426 534

at 12 72" pat

Some rain and cloudy
At this time, the undef
leaves of the plant be-
gan to witherand decay 5
and the top leaf to un-
fold and fpread abroad ;
but they are obferved ne-
ver to grow bigger, af-
ter they are fully opened.
A temperate day.
Temperate weather not
very clear,

Some rain. The whole
plant begins to change
colour, and appear fickly.

He then removed the
pelave into the ftove
again inordertorecover .
it; butic continued to
fade, and in twoor three
days dyed.

4 gp Jats 234 : ee cee

2 y3

sc) calle ac tl | 9 hee plant decayed.

We may obferve from this diary, that
this plant, when in the ftove, ufually per-
fpired more in 6 hours before noon than
in 6 hours afternoon; and that it per{pired
much lefsin the night than in the day time:
find fometimes increafed in weight in the
night, by imbibing the moifture of the
ambient air; and that both in the flove and

In

Vegetable Staticks. 25

in the cool room. Upon making an cfti-
mate, of the quantity perfpired off a {quare
inch of this plant, in 12 hours day, it comes
but to =, of a cubick inch; on the
18t day of May, when by far its greateft
perfpiration was; for on feveral other days

it was much lefs.

Al diary of the Aloe Africana Caulefcens
folits [pinofis, macults ab utraque parte Al.
bicantibus notatis, Commelini hort. Amft.
commonly called the Carolina Aloe. It
was a large plant of its kind. It ftood
in a glafs-cafe, which had a South 5 i

without a fire.

1726 Weight 4 Weight 4 Weight 4

hat6/e at 6 |8 | at 6 |B
May. Morn. |3 |Noon. | 3 |Night. 15 |

'pd. ou.

Loew Go Vecrlay. 2,136 \45 3: 1305
19 41 ale 14 {315/40 12 30
20 '40 123|2 LOWIZE 140) 85 292
21 '40 931/27 abe 63:30 |40 bate |
2z2 140 6 253/40 55129 140 4 i273" This evening promif-

| ing fome rain, he fet
‘the pot out, to receive
ia litle, and then wip-
jing the leaden furface of
the pot dry, he fet it
‘into the glafs-cafe a-
‘gain.
1! 1 Now the pot broke,
25 141 10 (247/41 Be (*" 5 7? and fgalieed any fur-
| ther obfervations.

We may obferve, that this Aloe increafed
in weight moft nights, and perfpired moft
in the morning. A diary

26 Vegetable Staticks.

A dary of a {mall Paradife-Apple, with one
upright fem 4 feet high; and two [mall
lateral branches about & inches long. This
plant flood under a cover of wood whith
was open on all fides.

1726) |
May.
18 [37 41137 3 [22 [37 1 [20
ee as FOG? 38 Se ee
2 18236 10,5423 | 20351 Ne eee ee
22) (3° Je 22 3K a hig Le 9 i. and become fpeckled for
z1 j36 717 Bo 5 i743 3 4 20 iwant of dew.
ZZ 4370 3218; 30 I [24 136 2,223 Then he removed the
{ | plant into the ftove.
to try what effect thae
would have on its per-
fpirtion.
£ i ar aa ~ =f a4 i P . .
24 36 00 26 35 «8 137-35 52342] Acthis time theleaves
Sareg | {| |were withered with the
i : -c
heatand hung down as if
| | they would fall off.
|
Beige A lao! 2G SECabaes Go) 26 At this time feveral
tee Fe ues 2 35 3 inf ¢ ' of the leaves began to
fall off.
26 134 Q |285 34 6,|34 34 1% 32] Ail the leaves fallen
Ros a1428 | off; except a few {mall
cof 133 Y fae Ay tae eos ane
ones, at the extremities

f the branches which
had put out, finee the
plant was in the ftove.
The earth it food in
[was very moift all the
time.

In Oéfober 1725. Mr. Miller took up
an African Briony-root, which when cleared
romthe mould weighed 8 pound ounce ;
he laid it on a fhelf in the ftove, where
ir remained till the March following ; when
upon weighing he found it had loft of its
E weight,

5.

Vegetable Staticks. 27
weight. In April it fhot out 4 branches,
two of which were 33 feet long, the other
two were Oneofthem 14 inches, the other
9 inches, in length: Thefe all produced
fair large leaves, it had loft 14 ounce in
weight, and in three wéek$ more it loft
2% ounces more; and was much withered,

EXPERIMENT VI.

Spéat-mint veing a plant that thrives mot
kindly in water, (in order the more ac-
curately to obferve what water it would
imbibe, and perfpire by night and day, in
wet or dry wéather) f cemented at r a plant
of it m, into the inverted fyphon ry x 6
(Fig. 2.) the fyphon was ¢ inch diam. at 4,
but larger at r.

I filled it full of water, the plant imbib-
ed the water fo as to make it fall in the
day, (in March) near an inch and half from
$tof;and inthe night ¢ inch from ¢ to z:
but one night, when it was fo cold, as to
make the Thermometer fink to the freezing
point, then the mint imbibed nothing, but
hung down its head; as did alfo the young
beans in the garden, their fap being great

ly

28 Vegetable Staticks.

ly condenfed by cold. In a rainy day the
mint imbibed very little.

I purfued this Experiment no farther, Dr.
Woodward having long fince, from feveral
curious experiments and obfervations, given
an account in the Philofophical Tranfactions,
of the plentiful perfpirations of this plant.

EXPERIMENT VII.

In Auguft, 1 dug up a large dwarf Pear-
tree, which weighed 71 pounds 8 ounces s
I fet its root in a known quantity of wa-
ter; it imbibed 15 pounds of water in 10
hours day, and perfpired at the fame time
15 pounds 8 ounces.

In Fuly and Auguft, I cut off feveral
branches of Apple-trees, Pear, Cherry, and
Apricock-trees, two of a fort; they were of
feveral fizes from 3 to 6 feet long, with pro-
portional lateral branches; and the tran{verfe
cut of the largeft part of their ftems was a-
bout an inch diameter.

I ftripped the leaves off of one bough of
each fort, and then fet their ftems in fepa-
rate glafles, pouring in known quantities of
water. ee

The

a \

A i, \

NI

n feulps.

z

J. Gribel,

\
\

Ry OE

1 tie

en ae

hoor

poem ig echelon nm al

Vegetable Staticks. 29

The boughs with leaves on them im-
bibed fome I5 ounces, fome 20 ounces, -
25 or 30 Ounces in 12 hours day, more or
lefs in proportion to the quantity of leaves
they had; and when I weighed them at night
they were lighter than in the morning.

While thofe without leaves imbibed but
one ounce, and were heavier in the even-
ing thanin the morning, they having per-
{pired little.

The quantity imbibed by thofe with leaves
decreafed very much every day, the fap
veflels being probably fhrunk, at the tranf-
verfe cut, andtoo much faturate with wa-
ter, to let any more pafs; fo that ufually in
4. or 5 days the leaves faded and withered
much,

I repeated the fame experiment with Elm-
branches, Oak, Ofier, Willow, Sallow,Afpen,
Curran,Goosberry, and Philbud branches; but
none of thefe imbibed fo much as the fore-
going, and feveral forts of ever-greens very
much lefs.

EXPERIMENT VIII.

Avguft 15, l cut off alarge Ruffet-pippin,
With

30 Levetable Staticks.

with two inches ftem, and its 12 adjoining
leaves; 1 fet the ftem ina little viol of wa-
tcr it imbibed and perfpired in three days
# of an ounce.

Atthe fame time I cut off from the fame
tree another bearing twig of the fame
length, with 12 leaves on it, but no apple;
it imbibed in the fame three daysnear 2 of
an ounce.

About the fame time I fet in a viol of
water a fhore ftem of the fame tree, with
two largeappies on it without leaves; they
imbibed near 2 ounce in two days.

So in thisExperiment, the apple and the
leaves imbibe * ounce; the leayes a-
Jone near ;, but the two large apples impbib-
ed and perfpired but $ part fo much asthe
12 leaves; then one apple imbibed the = parr
of what was imbibed by the 12 leaves, there-
fore two leaves imbibe and per{pire as much
as one apple; whence their perfpirations
fecm to be proportionable to their furfaces ;
the furface of the apple being nearly equal
to the fum of the upper and under furfaces
of the two leaves.

Whence it is probable, that the ufe of
thefe leaves, (which are placed, juft where

| the

Vegetable Staticks. 31
the fruit joinsto the tree) is to bring nou-
rifhment to the fruit. And accordingly I
obferve that the leaves, next adjoining to
bloffoms, are, in the fpring, very much ex-
panded, when the other leaves, on barren
thoots, are but beginning to fhoot: And
that all peach leaves are pretty large before
the bloffom goes off: And that in apples
and pears the leaves are one third or half
crown, before the bloflom blows: So pro-
vident is nature in making timely provifion,
for the nourifhing the yet embrio-fruit.

EXPERIMENT IX,

Fuly 15. [cut off two thriving Hop-vines
near the ground, in a thick fhady part of
the garden, the pole ftill ftanding; I ftrip-
ed the leaves off one of thefe vines, and {er
both their ftems, in known quantities of
Water, in. little bottles; that .with, leaves
imbibed in 12 hours day 4 ounces, and that
without leaves 4 ounce.

I took another hop pole with its vines
On it, and carried it out of the hop ground,
into a free open expofure; thefe imbibed
and perfpired as much more as the former

in

32 Vegetable Staticks.

in the hop-ground: Which is doubtlefs
the reafon why the hop-vines on the out-
fides of gardens, where moft expofed to the
air, are fhort and poor, in comparifon of
thofe in the middle of the ground; vzz. be-
caufe being much dried, their fibres hardens
fooner, and therefore they cannot grow fo
kindly as thofe in the middle of the ground;
which by fhade are always kept moifter, and
more dudtile.

Now there being 1ooohills in an acre
of hop-ground, and each hill having three
poles, and each pole three vines, the num-
ber of, vines will be 9000; each of which
imbibing 4 ounces, the fum of all the oun-
ces, imbibed in an acre in 12 hours day, will
be 36000 ounces, == 15750000 grains =
62007 cubick inches or 220 gallons; which
divided by 6272640, the number of {quare
inchesin an acre, it will be found, that the
quantity of liquor perfpired by all the hop-
Vines, will be equal to an area of liquor,
as broad as an acre, and -; part of aninch
deep, befides what evaporated from the
earth. |

And this quantity of moifture in a kind-
ly ftate of the air is daily carried off, in

a fufh-

Vegetable Staticks. 33
a fufficient quantity, to keep the hops in
a healthy ftate; but in a rainy moift ftate
of air, without a due mixture of dry wea-
ther, too much moifture hovers about the
hops, fo as to hinder in a good meafure the
kindly perfpiration of the leaves, whereby
the ftagnating fap corrupts, and breeds mol-
dy fen, which often fpoils vaft quantities
of flourifhing hop-grounds. This was the cafe
in the year 1723, when 10 or 14 days al-
moft continual rains fell, about the latter
half of Fuly, after 4 months dry weather ; up-
- on which the moft flourifhing and promifing
hops were all infected with mold or fen,
in their leaves and fruit, while the then
poor and unpromifing hops efcaped, and pro.
duced plenty ; becaufe they being {mall, did
not perfpire fo great a quantity as the others;
nor did they confine the perfpired vapor ,
fo much as the large thriving vines did, in
their fhady thickets. |
This rain on the then warm earth made
the grafs fhoot out, as faft as if it were in a
hot bed; and the apples grew fo precipitate-
ly, that they were of avery flafhy conflitu-
tion, fo asto rot more remarkably than
had ever been remembred.
D ‘The «

34 Vegetable Staticks.

The planters obferve, that when a mold or
fen has once feized any part of the ground,
it foon runs over the whole; and that the
grafs and other herbs, under the hops, are
infeed with it.

Probably becaufe the fmall feeds of this
quick growing mold, which foon come to
maturity, are blown over the whole ground -
Which {preading of the feed may be the
reafon why fome grounds are infected with
fen for feveral years fucceflively; uz. from
the feeds of the laft years fen: Might it not
then be advifeable to burn the fenny hop-
Vines as {oon as the hops are picked, in hopes
thereby to deftroy fome ef the feed of the
mold?

“ Mr. Auftin of Canterbury obferves fen —
to be more fatal to thofe grounds that
““ are low and fheltered, than to the high
« and opengrounds; to thofe that are fhel-
“ ving to the North, than to the fhelving
“ to the South; to the middle of grounds,
«‘ than to the outfides; to the dry and
gentle grounds, than to the moiftand ftiff
grounds. This was very apparent through.
és out the Plantations, where the land had
‘‘ the fame workmanfhip, and help beftow-

t4 ed

€

~

-“
wm

at
ey

eg
av oo

Vegetable S. taticks, gue

« ed upon it, and was wrought at the fame
“< time; but if in either of thefe cafes there
<¢ was a difference, it had a different effect ;
< and the low and gentle grounds, that lay
<¢ neglected, were then feen lefs diftemper-
“ed, than the open and moift, that were
“ carefully managed and looked after.

< The honey dewsare obferved to come
* about the 11 of Zune, which by the middle
“ of Fuly turn the leaves black, and make
« them ftink.

I have in Fw/ly (the feafon for fire blatfts,
as the planters call them) feen the vines in
the middle of a hop-ground all fcorched
up almoft from one end of a large ground
to the other, when a hot gleam of Sun-
fhine has come immediately after a fhower
of rain; at which time the vapors are of-
ten feen withthe naked eye, but efpecially
with reflecting Telefcopes, to afcend fo
plentifully, as to make a clear and difting
object become immediately very dim and
tremulous. Nor wasthere any dry gravel-
ly vein in the ground, along the courfe of
| this fcorch. It was therefore probably ow_
ing to the much greater quantity of {corch-
ing vapors, in the middle than outfides of

Diz the

36 Vegetable Staticks.

the ground, and that being a denfer medi-
um, it was much hotter than a more rare
medium.

And perhaps, the great volume of afcend-
ing vapor might make the Sun-beams con-
verge a little toward the middle of the ground,
that being a denfer medium, and thereby
increafe the heat confiderably ; for I obferv-
ed, that the courfe of the fcorched hops
was in aline at right angles, tothe Sun-
beams about a 11 a clock, at which time
the hot gleam was: The hop-ground was
in a valley which run from South-weft to
North-eaft: And to thebeft of my remem-
brance, there wasthen but little wind, and
that in the courfe of the fcorch; but had
there been fome other gentle wind, either
North or South, ‘tis not improbable but
that the North wind gently blowing the
Volume of rifing wreak on the South-fide
of the ground, that fide might have been
moft fcorched, and fo vice verfa.

As to particular fire-blafts, which fcorch
here and there a few hop-vines, or one Or
two branches of a tree, without damaging
the next adjoining; what A/fronomers ob-

ferve, may hint | co us a no very improbable
caufe

Fegetable Staticks. 37

caufe of it; vwsg. They frequently obferve
(efpecially with the refleting Telefcopes)
(mall feparate portions of pellucid vapors
floating in the air; whichtho’ not vifible to
the naked eye, are yet confiderably denfer
thanthe circumambient air: And vapors of
fuch a degree of denfity may very proba-
bly, cither acquire fuch a {calding heat from
the Sun, as will fcorch what plants they
touch, efpecially the more tender: An effect,
which the gardiners about London have too
often found to their coft, when they have
incautioufly put beil-glafies over their Colly-
flowers, early in a frofty morning, before
the dew was evaporated off them; which
dew being raifed by the Sun’s warmth, and
confined within the glafs, did there form a
denfe tranfparent fcalding vapor, which burnt
and killed the plants. Or perhaps, the up-
per or lower furface of thefe tranfparent fe-
parate flying volumes of vapors may, among
the many forms they revolve into, femetimes
approach fo near to ahemifphere, or hemi-
cylinder, as thereby to make the Sun-beams
converge enough, often to icorch the more
tender plants they fhall falion: And fome-
times alfo, parts of the more hardy plants

YP +2 and

38 Vegetable S. taticks,

and trees, in proportion to the greater or
lefs convergency of the Sun’s rays.

The learned Boerhaave, in his Theory of

PE PHTT: p. 245. obferves, ‘* That thofe

€¢

‘ white clouds which appear in fummer-
time, are as it were fo many mirrours,
and occafion exceffive heat. Thefe cloudy
Mirrours are fometimes round, fome-
times concave, polygonous, dc. when
the face of heaven is covered with fuch
white clouds, the Sun fhining among
them, muft of neceffity produce a vehe-
ment heat; fince many of his rays, which
would otherwitfe, perhaps, never touch
our earth, are hereby refle&ed to us; thus
if the Sun be on one fide, and the clouds
on the oppofite one, they will be per-
fe& burning glafles. And hence the phz-
nomena of thunder.

«I have fometimes (continues he) ob-
ferved a kind of hollow clouds, full of
hail and fnow, during the continuance
of which the heat was extreme; fince by
{uch condenfation they were enabled to
refie& much more ftrongly. After this

‘ came a fharp cold, and then the clouds

diicharged their hail in great quantity;
te)

Vegetable Staticks. 39

“ to which fucceeded a moderate warmth.
<¢ Frozen concave cjouds therefore, by their
‘< great reflections, produce a vigorous hear,
‘and the fame when refolved exceflive
<¢ ‘¢okd.

Whence we fee that blafts may be occa-.
fioned by the refleGtions of the clouds, as
well as by the above mentioned refraction
of denfe tran{parent vapors.

Fuly 21. T obferved that at that feafon
the top of the Sunflower being tender, and
the flower near beginning to blow, that if
the Sun rife clear the flower faces towards
the Eaft, and the Sun continuing to fhine,
at noon, it faces to the South, and at 6 in
the evening to the Weft: And this not
by turning round with the Sun, but by nu-
tation; the caufe of which is, that the fide
of the ftem next the Sun perfpiring moft, it
fhrinks, and this plant perfpires much.

I have obferved the fame in the tops of
ferufalem -artichokes and of garden- beans
in very hot Sun-fhine.

EXPERIMENT X.

fuly 27. 1 fixed an Apple-branch m, 3
D 4 feet

40 Vegetable Staticks,

feet long + inch diameter, full of leaves,
and lateral fhoots to the tube ¢, 7 feet
long s diameter. (Fig. 3.) I filled the tube
with water, and then immerfed the whole
branch as far as over the lower end of the
- tube, into the veffel wu full of water.
The water fubfided 6 inches the firft
two hours (being the firft filling of the

fap veffels) and 6 inches the following night, |

4 inches the next day; and 2 -+ } the fol-
lowing night.

The third day in the morning I took
the branch out of the water; and hung
it with the Tube afhxed to it in the open
air; it imbibed this day 27 -|-% inches in
12 hours.

This Experiment fhews the great power
of perfpiration ; fince when the branch
was immerfed in the veffel of water, the
7 feet column of water in the tube, above
the furface of the water, could drive very

little thro’ the leaves, till the branch was

expofed to the open air.

This alfo proves, that the perfpiring mat-
ter of trees is rather actuated by warmth,
and fo exhaled, than protruded by the
force of the fap upwards.

And

——

Vegetable Staticks. AY

And this holds true in animals, for the
perfpiration in them is not always ereateft
in the greateft force of the blood; but then
often leatt of all, as in fevers.

I have fixed many other branches in the
fame manner to long tubes, without im.
merfing them in water ; which tubes, being
filled with water, I could fee precifely, by
the defcent of the water in the tube 7, how
faft it perfpired off ; and how very little per-
fpired in a rainy day, or when there were
no leaves on the branches.

EXPERIMENT XI.

Aug. 17. At’ 11 a: m, | cemented to
the tube a 6 (Fig. 4.) 9 feet long, and 4 inch
diameter an Apple-branch ds feet long «
inch diameter; I poured water into the tube,
which it imbibed plentifully, at the rate of
3 feet length of the tube in an hour. At
1 aclock I cut off the branch at ¢, 13 inches
below the glafs-tube. To the bottom of
the remaining ftem I tyed a glafs ciftern z,
covered with ox-gut, to keep any of the
water which droped from the ftem cd from
evaporating. At the fame time I fet the

branch

42 Vegetable Staticks.

branch dr which I had cut off ina known
quantity of water, in the veffel x, (Fig. 5.)
the branchin the veffel x imbibed 18 oun-
ces of water, in 18 hours day and 12 hours
night; in which time only 6 ounces of wa-
ter had paffed thro’ the ftem ¢ 4 (Fig. 4.)
which had a column of water 7 feet highs
prefling upon it all the time.

This again fhews the great power of per-
f{piration ; to draw three times more. water;
in the fame time, thro’ the long flender
parts of the branch 7 (fig. 5.) than was
preffed thro’alarger fteme 6 (Fig. 4.) of the
fame branch; but 13 inches long with 7
feet preffure of water uponit, in the tubeaé. —

I tryed in the fame manner another ap-
ple-branch, which in 8 hours day imbibed
20 ounces, while only 8 ounces paffed thro’
the ftem ¢4, (Fig. 4.) which had the column
of water on it.

The fame I tried with a quince branch,
which in 4 hours day imbibed 2 ounces +-
=, While but } ounce paffed thro’ the fem
cb (Fig. 4.) which had 9 feet weight of wa-
ter prefling on it.

Note, All thefe (under this Experiment
11.) were made the firft day, before the

fiem

\\

Vegetable Staticks. 43

fiem could be any thing faturate with wa-
ter, or the fap-veflels fhrunk fo as to hin-
der its paflage.

ExPERIMENT XII,

I cut off from a dwart Apple-tree ew the
top of the branch / (Fig. 6.) which was an
inch diameter, and fixed to the ftem JZ, the
glafs-tube 74: then I poured water into
the tube, which the branch would imbibe,
fo as to drink down 2 or 3 pints in aday,
efpecially if I fucked with my mouth at
the top of the tube 4, fo as that afew air
bubbles were drawn out of the ftem /; then
the water was imbibed fo faft, that if I im-
mediately {crewed on the mercurial gage,
mry x, the mercury would be drawn up
to r, 12 inches higher than in the other
leg.

At another time I poured into the tube /,
fixed to a golden Renate-tree, a quart of
high rectified {pirit of wine, camphorated,
which quantity the ftem imbibed in 3 hours
{pace ; this killed one half of the tree: this I
didtotry if I could give a flavour of cam-
phire to the apples which were in great

plenty

AA Vegetable Staticks.

plenty on the branch. I could not perceive
any alteration in the tafte of the apples, tho’
they hung feveral weeks after; but the fmell
of the camphire was very firong in the
ftalks of the leaves, and in every part of the
dead branch.

I made the fame experiment on a vine,
with ftrongly f{cented orange-flower-water 3
the event was the fame, it did not penetrate
into the grapes, but very fenfibly into the
wood and ftalks of the leaves.

I repeated the fame experiment on two
diftant branches of a large Catharine pear-
tree, with ftrong decoctions of faffafras,
and of elder flowers, about 30 days before
the pears were ripe; but I could not per-
ceive any tafte of the decodtions in the pears,

Tho’ in all thefe cafes the fap-veflels of
the ftem were firongly impregnated with
a good quantity of thefe liquors; yet the
capillary fap-veflels near the fruit were fo
fine, that they changed the texture of, and
aflimilatedto their own fubfiance thofe high
tafted and perfumed liquors; in the fame
manner as graffs and buds change the very
different fap of the flock to that of their
own fpecifick nature.

This

Vegetable Staticks. AS

This experiment may fafely be repeated
with well fcented and perfumed common
water, which trees will imbibe at /7 without
any danger of killing them,

ExPERIMENT XIII.

In order to try whether the capillary fap-
veffels had any power to protrude fap out
at their extremities, and in what quantity, I
made the three following experiments, viz.

In Auguft 1 took a cylinder of an apple-
branch, 12 inches long 3 diameter: I fet ic
with its great end downwards in a mint glafs,
(full of water) tyed over with ox-gut. The .
top of the ftick was moift for 10 days, while
another ftick of the fame branch (but out
of water ) was very dry. It evaporated an
ounce of water in thofe 1o days,

EXPERIMENT XIV. |

In Sept. Infix’d. a tube ¢:( Fig: 7. )..7 feet
long, toalikeftem f, asthe former, and
fer the ftem in water x, to try if, asthe wa-
ter evaporated out of the top of the ftemr,
it would rife co any height in the tube ¢ ; but

it

46 Vegetable Staticks.

it did not rife at all in the tube, tho’ the
top of the ftem was wet: I then filled the
tube with water, but it paffed freely into
the veffel x.

EXPERIMENT XV.

Sept. 10. 2 +2 feet from the ground, I
cut off the top of a half ftandard Duke Cherry-
free againfta wall, and cemented on it the
neck of a Florence flask f, (Fig. 3.) and to
that flask neck a narrow tube g, 5 feet
long, in order to catch any moifture that
fhould arife out of the trunk »; but none
arofe in 4 hours, except a little vapor that
was on the flask’s neck.

I then dug up the tree by the roots, and
fet the root in water, with the glaffes affixed
to the top of the ftem; after feveral hours
nothing rofe but a little dew, which hung
on the infide of f; yet it is certain by many
of the foregoing experiments, that if the
top and leaves of this tree had been on,
many ounces of water would in this time
have paffed thro’ the rrunk, and been eva-
porated thro’ the leaves.

1 have

Vegetable Staticks. 47

I have tryed the fame experiment with
feveral vine branches cut off, and fet in
water thus, but no water rofe into f-

Thefe three laft experiments all fhew, that
tho’ the capillary fap veflels imbibe moifture
plentifully ; yet they have little power to
protrude it farther, without the afliftance of
the perfpiring leaves, which do greatly pro-
mote its progrefs.

EXPERIMENT XVI.
In order to try whether any fap rofe in

the winter, I took in Fanuary feveral par-
cels of Filberd-fuckers, Vine- branches, green

Jeffamine-branches,Philarea andLaurel-bran-

ches, with their leaves on them, and dip-
ped their tranfverfe cuts in melted cement,
to prevent any moifture’s evaporating thro’
the wounds; I tyed them in feparate bun-
dles and weighed them.

The Philberd-fuckers decreafed in 8 days
(fome part of which were very wet, but
the laft 3 or 4 days drying winds) the rith

part of their whole weight.

The vine-cuttings in the fame time the
re paft.
¥ 4 Th

gp

48 Vegetable Staticks.

The Jeffamine in the {ame time the Z part.

The Philarea decreafed the } part in 5
days.

The Laurel the part in 5 days, and more.

Here is a confiderable daily wafte of fap,
which muft therefore neceflarily be fupplied
from the root; whence it is plain that fome
fap rifes all the winter, to fupply this conti-
nual wafte, tho’ in much lefs quantity than
in fummer.

Hence we fee good reafon why the Ilex,
(and the Cedar of Zzbanus, which were the
firft on an Exngizfh-oak, the other on the Larix)
were verdant all the winter, notwithffand-
ing the oak and Larix leaves were decayed
and fallen off; for tho’.when the winter
came on, there did not fap enough rife to
maintain the Oak and Larix leaves, yet by
this prefent experiment we fee, that fome
fap is continually rifing all the winter; and
by experiment the sth on the Lime-tree, and
by feveral other the like experiments, on
many forts of ever-greens, we find that they
perfpiring little, live and thrive with little
nourifhment; the Uex and Cedar might
well therefore continue green all the win-
ter, notwithftanding the leaves of the trees

4. they

Vegetable Staticks. 49
they were grafted on fell off. See the cu-
riousand induftrious Mr. Fazrchild's account
of thefe graftings in Mr. Miller's, Gardt-
ners Dittionary. Vol. If. Supplement fap.

EXPERIMENT XVIL.

Having by many evident proofs in the
foregoing experiments feen the great quan-
tities of liquor that were imbibed and per-
{pired by trees, I was defirous to try if I could
get any of this perfpiring matter; and in
order to it; I tock feveral glafs chymical
retorts, ap (Fig.9.) and put the boughs
of feveral forts of trees, as they were grow-
ing with their leaves on, into the retorts,
ftoping up the mouth p of the retorts with
bladder. By this means I got feveral ounces
of the perfpiring matter of Vines, Fig-trees,
Apple-trees,Cherry-trees, Apricot and Peach-
trees; Rue, Horfe-radifh, Rheubarb, Parfnip,
and Cabbage leaves: the liquor of all of
them was very clear, nor could I difcover
any different tafte in the feveral liquors :
But if the retort ftand expofed to the hot
fun, the liquor will tafte of the .coddled
leaves, Its eevee gravity, was nearly the

E fame

50 Vegetable Staticks.

fame with that of common water; nor
did I find many air bubbles in it, when placed |
in the exhaufted receiver, which I expeéed
to have found; but when referved in open
Viols, it ftinks fooner than common water;
an argument that it isnot pure water, but has
fome heterogeneous mixtures with it.

I put alfo a large Sun-flower full blown,
and as it was growing, into the head of a
glafs-ftill, and put its roftrum into a bottle,
by which means there diftilled a good quan-
tity of liquor into the bottle. It will be
very eafy in the fame manner to colle& the
perfpirations of {weet {cented Flowers, tho’
the liquor will not long retain its grateful
odor, but ftink in few days.

This experiment would be very proper
to begin the learned Boerhaave's clear and
very rational chymical proceffes with, as be-
ing a degree more fimple than his firft pro-
cefs, the diftillation in acold ftill: For this
is undifturbed nature’s own method of diftil-

ling.
EXPERIMENT XVIIL

In order to find out what ftores of moi-
fture

a
ner ee
ae
i
——
re

is}!
Y/

«a |
al

N
i\

\

yr a):

i : Soh TRS A
; oa Seki tee * oe eee ie
it Ray rahi p ve tem Ng a re rh

v. Y Ni ¥

Vegetable Staticks. 5%
fture nature had provided in the earth, (a-
gainft the dry fummer feafon,) that might
anfwer this great expence of it, which is fo
neceflary for the produétion and {upport of
vegetables, | |

Fuly 31. 1724. I dug up a cubick foot of
earth in an alley, which was very little tram-
pled on; it weighed (after deducting the
weight of the containing veflel) 104 pounds
+ 4 ounces + 3. A cubick foot of water
weighs 59 -- 3, which is little more than half
the fpecifick gravity of earth. This was a
dry feafon, with a mixture of fome few fhow-
ers, fothat the grafs-plat adjoyning was not
burnt up.

At the fame time I dug up another cu-
bick foot of earth, fromthe bottom of the
former, it weighed 106 pound -- 6 ounces;
+4,

I dug up alfo a third cubick foot of earth;
at the bottom of the two former, it weighed
TIT pounds -- 3.

Thefe three feet depth were a good brick
earth, next to which was gravel, in which
at 2 feet depth, viz. 5 feet below the fur-
face of the earth, the {prings did then run.

When the firft cubick foot of earth was

|p {9

52 Vegetable Staticks.

fo dry and dufty, as to be unfit for vegeta-
tion I weighed it, and found it had loft
6 pound -+ 11 ounces, or 194 cubick in-
ches of water, near 3 part of its bulk.

Some days after, the fecond cubick foot
being dryer than either the firft or third, was
_decreafed in weight 10 pounds.

The third cubick foot, being very dry and
dufty, had loft § pounds -}- 8 ounces, or 247
cubick inches, vzz. 7 part of its bulk.

Now fuppofing the roots of the Sun-flower
(the longeft of which reached 15 inches
every way from the ftem) to occupy and
draw nourifhment from 4 cubick feet of
earth, and fuppofe each cubick foot of earth
to afford 7 pounds of mioifture, before it be
too dry for vegetation ; the Plant imbibing
and perfpiring 22 ounces every 24 hours, that
will be 28 pounds of water, which will be
drawn off in 21 days and 6 hours; after
which the Plant would perifh, if there were
not frefh fupplies to thefe 4 cubick feet of
earth, either from dew or moifture arifing
from below 15 inches (the depth of the
roots} up into the earth occupied by the
roots.

E x-

Vegetable Staticks. 52

EXPERIMENT XIX.

In order to find out the quantity of Dew
that fellin the night, Aug. 15. at 7. p.m. I
chofe two glazed earthen Pans, which were
three inches deep, and 12 inches diameter in
furface; I filled them with pretty moift earth
taken off the furface of the earth ; they in-
creafed in weight by the night’s dew 180
grains, anddecreafed in weight by the evapo-
ration of the day 1 ounce -+- 282 grains.

N. B. J fet thefe Pans in other broader
Pans, to prevent any moifture from the earth
_fticking to the bottoms of them. The moi-
fier the earth, the more Dew there falls on
it in a night, and more than adouble quan-
tity of Dew falls on a furface of water, than
there does on an equal furface of moaift earth.
The evaporation of a furface of water in 9
hours winter's dry. day. is’, of anoinch.
The evaporation of a furface of Ice, fet in
the fhade during nine hours day, was 3%.

So here are 540 grains more evaporated
from the earth every 24 hours in fummer,
than falls in Dew in the night ; that is, in 21
days near 26 ounces, from a circular area

E 3 of

ee ee
oetunne

54 Vegetable Staticks.

of afoot diameter; and circles being as the
{quares of their diameters 10 pounds + 2
ounces, willin 21 days be evaporated from
the hemifphere of 30 inches diameter, which
the Sunflower’s root occupies: Which with
the 29 pounds drawn off by the Plant in
the fame time, makes 39 pounds, that is 9
pounds and 3 out of every cubick foot of
earth, the Plant’s roots occupying more than
4 cubick feet ; but this isa much greater de-
gree of drynefs than the furface of the earth
ever fuffers for 15 inches depth, even in the
dryeft feafons in this country.

In a long dry feafon, therefore, efpecially
within the Tropicks, we muft have recourfe
for fufficient moifture (to keep Plants and
Trees alive) to the moift ftrata of earth,
which lay next below that in which the
roots are. Now moift bodies always com-
municate of their moifture to more dry
adjoyning bodies; but this flow motion of
the afcent of moifture is much accelerated
by the Sun’s heat to confiderable depths in
ihe earth, as is probable from the following
zoth experiment.

Now 180 grains of Dew falling in one
aight, onacircle of a foot diameter, =

113 f{quare

Vegetable Staticks. 55

113 {quare inches; thefe 180 grains being
equally fpread on this furface, its depth will
AES Wound
113 x 294
the depth of Dew in a winter night to be the
go part of an inch; fothat if weallow 151
nights for the extent of thefummer’s Dew, it
will in that time arife to one inch depth. And
reckoning the remaining 214 nights, for the
extent of the winters Dew, it will produce
2. 39 inches depth, which makes the Dew
of the whole year amount to 3. 39 inches
depth.

And the quantity which evaporated in a
fair fummier’s day from the fame {furface,
being 1 ounce -+- 282 grains, gives 7 part
ef an inch depth for evaporation, which
is four times as much as fell at night.

I found, by the fame means, the evapo-
ration of a winter’s day to be nearly the
fame as ina fummer’s day ; for the earth
being in winter more faturate with moi-
fture, that excefs of moifture anf{wers tothe
excefs of heat in fummer. :

Nic. Cruquins Ne 381. of the Philofo-
phical Tranfa@ions, found that 28 inches
depth evaporated in a whole year from wa-

E 4 ter,

be .$, part of aninch =

56 Vegetable Staticks.

ter, z.e. #, of an incheach day, at a mean
rate; but the earth in a f{ummer’s day evapo-
rates 45 of an inch; fo the cvaporation of
a furface of water, is to the evaporation of
a furface of earth in fummer, as 10:3.

The quantity of Rain and Dew which
falls in a year is at a medium 22 inches:
The quantity of the carth’s evaporation in
a year is at leaft 9 -+- 2 inches, fince that
is the rate; at which it evaporates in a fum-
mer’s day : From which 9 -+ 3 inches is to
be deducted 3. 39 inches for circulating
daily Dew; there remains 6. 2 inches, which
6. 2 inches deducted from the quantity of
Rain which falls in a year, there remains
at leaft 16 inches depth, to replenifh the
earth with moifiure for vegetation, and to
fupply the Springs and Rivers.

In the cafe of the hop-ground, the eva-
poration from the hops may be confidered
only for 3 months at +¢+ part of an inch
each day, which will be =+ of an inch;
but before we allow 6. 2 inches vapor to eva-
porate from the furface of the ground,
which added to 2 inch gives, 7. I inches,
which is the utmoft that can be evaporat-
ed from a furface of hop-ground in a year.

: So

Ve egetable Staticks, 57

So that of 22 inches depth of rain, there re-
mains 15 inches to fupply fprings; which
are more or lefs exhaufted, according to
the drynefs or wetnefs of the year. Hence
we find that 22 inches depth of rain in a
year is fufficient for all the purpofes of na-
ture, in fuch flat countries as this about
Teddington near Hampton-court. But in
the hill countries, asin Lanca/bzre, there falls
42 inches depth of rain-water ; from which
deducting 7 inches for evaporation, there
remains 35 inches depth of water for the
{prings; befides great fupplics from much
more plentiful dews, than fall in plain coun-
tries: Which vaft ftores feem fo abundantly
fufficient to anfwer the great quantity of
water, which is conveyed away, by {prings
and rivers, from thofe hills, that we need
not have recourfe, for fupplics, to the great
Abyfs, whofe furface, at high water, is fur-
mounted fome hundreds of feet by ordi-
nary hills, and fome thoufands of feet by
thofe vaft hills, from whence the longeft and
greateft rivers take their rife.

EXPER,

¢8 Vegetable Staticks.

EXPERIMENT XxX.

I provided me 6 Thermometers, whofe
ftems were of different lengths, vzz. from
18 inches to 4 feet. I graduated them all
by one proportional fcale, beginning from
the freezing point; which may well be
fixed, as the utmoft boundary of vegetation
on the fide of cold, where the work of ve-
ectation ceafes, the watry vehicle beginning
then to condenfe and be fixed; tho’ many
trees, and fome plants, as grafs, mofs, cre:
do furvive it; yet they do not vegetate at
that time.

The greateft degree of heat, which I mark-
ed on my Thermometers, was equal to that
of water, when heated to the greateft de-
gree, that could bear my hand in it, with.
it about. A degree of heat,
which is the middle, between the freezing
int, andthe heat of boiling water, which
aie too great for vegetation, may there-
f e fixed, as the utmoft boundary of
vegetation, onthe warm fide ; beyond which
its will rather fade than vegetate, fuch
cree of heat feparating and difperfing,

infleatl

‘@)

Vegetable Staticks. 59

inftead of congregating, and uniting the nu-
tritive particles.

This fpace I divided into 90 degrees on
all the Thermometers, beginning to number
from the freezing point. Sixty four of thefe
degrees is nearly equal to the heat of the
blood ofanimals; which I found by therule
given in the Philofophical Tranfattions, Vol.
IL. p. 1. of Mr. Motte's Abridgment, viz. by
placing one of the Thermometers in water
heated to the greateft degree, that I could
bear my hand in it, ftirring it about: And
which I was further affured of, by placing
the ball of my Thermometer in the flow-
ing blood of an expiring Ox. The heat of
the blood to that of boiling water is as 14
a Tr tO 33.

By placing the ball of one of thefe Ter-
mometers in my bofom, and under an arm-
pit, I found the external heat of the body
54 of thefe degrees. The heat of milk,
as it comes from the Cow, is 55 degrees,
which is nearly the fame with that for
hatching of eggs. The heat of urine 58
_ degrees. The common temperate point in
Thermometers is about 18 degrees.

4 The

60 Vegetable Staticks,

tae hoiteft Sun-fhine in the year 1724,
gave to the Thermometer, expofed to it, a
co equal to that of the blood of animals,
viz. 64 degrees: And tho’ plants endure
this and a confiderably greater heat, with-
in the tropicks, for fome hours each day,
yet the then hanging of the leaves of ma-
ny of them fhews that they could not long
fublift under it, were they not frequently
refrefhed by the fucceeding evening and
night.

The common noon-tide heat in the Sun

in fuly is about so degrees; The heat of
the air inthe fhade in Fu/y is ata medium
38 degrees. The A/ay and Fune heat is,
from 17 to 30 degrees; the moft genial
heat, for the generality of plants, in which
they flourilh moft, and make the greateft
progrefs in their growth. The autumnal
and vernal. heat may be reckoned from 10
to 20 degrees. The winter heat from the
freezing point toro degrees.
_ The fcorching heat of a hot bed of horfe-
dung, when too hot for plants, is 75 de-
grees and more, and hereabout is proba-
bly the heat of blood in high fevers.

The

Vegetable Staticks. Gr

The due healthy heat of a hot bed of
horfe-dung, in the fine mold, where the
roots of thriving Cucumber-plants were, in
Feb. was 56 degrees, which is nearly the
bofom heat, and that for hatching of eggs.
The heat of the air under the glafs-frame
of this hot-bed was 34 degrces; fo the roots
had 26 degrees more heat, than the plants
above ground. The heat of the open air
was then 17 degrees,

It is now grown a common and very
reafonable practice; to regulate the heat
of ftoves and green-houfes, by means of
Thermometers, hung up inthem. And for
greater accuracy, many have the names of
fome of the principal exoticks, written up-
on their Thermometers, over-againtt, the fe-
veral degrees of heat, which are found by
experience to be propereft for them. And
I am informed that many of the moft curi-
rious Gardiners about London have agreed
to make ufe of Thermometers of this fort.
which are made by Mr. Yohn Fowler in
Swithins-alley, near the Royal-Exchange;
which have the names of the following
plants, oppofite to their refpe@tive moft kind-
ly degrees of heat; which in my Thermome-

fers

62 Vegetable Staticks.

fers an{wer nearly to the following de-
grees of heat above the freezing point, viz,
Melon-thiftle 31, Ananas 29, Piamento 26,
Euphorbium 24, Cereus 213, Aloe 19, In-
dian-fig 167, Ficoides 14, Oranges 12,
Miftles 9.

Mr. Boyle, by placing a Thermometer in
a cave which was cut firait into the bot-
tom of a cliff, fronting the Sea, to the depth
of 130 feet, foundthe fpirit ftoo’d both in
winter and fummer at a fmall divifion a

bove temperate; the cave had 80 feet depth.

of earth above it. Boyle’s Works, Vol. Il,
p- 54.

I marked my 6 Thermometers numerical-
Wy lx25i 195 453-3565, (Phe, 1) herntonmenes
numb. 1. which was fhorteft, I placed with
a South afpeét, in the open air; the ball
of numb. 2, I fet two inches under ground ;
that of numb. 3, four inches under ground,
numb. 4, $8 inches; numb. 5, 16 inches; and
numb. 6, 24 inches under ground. And that
the heat of the earth, at thefe feveral depths,
may the more accurately be Known, it is
proper to place near each Thermometer a

glafs-tube fealed at both ends, of the fame

length with the ftems of the feveral Ther-
mometers 5

es

Vegetable Staticks. 63
swometers; and with tinged fpirit of wine
in them, to the fame height, as in each
correfponding Thermometer ; the tcale of
degrees, of each Thermometer , being mark-
ed on a fliding ruler, with an index at the
back of it, pointing to the correfponding
tube. When at any time an obfervation is
to be made, by moving the index, to point
to the top of the fpirit in that tube, an ac-
curate allowance is hereby made, for the
very different degrees of heat and cold, on
the ftems of the Thermometers, at all depths 3
by which means the fcale of degrees will
fhew truly the degrees of heat in the balls
ofthe Thermometers, and confequently, the
refpective heats of the earth, at the feve-
ral depths where they are placed, The ftems
of thefe DPhermometers, which were above
ground, were fenced from weather and in-
juries, by fquare wooden tubes; the ground
they were placed in was a brick earth in
the middle of my garden.

-Fuly 30. I began to keep a regifter of
their rife and fall. During the following
month of Auguff, 1 obferved that when
the fpirit in the Thermometer numb. 1,
(which was expofed to the Sun) was
about

64 Vegetable Staticks.

about noon rifen to 48 degrees, then
the fecond Thermometer was 45 degrees,
the sth 33, and the 6th 31, the 3d andath
at intermediate degrees. The sth and 6th
Thermometer kept nearly the fame degree of
heat, both night and day, till towards the lat-
ter end of the month; when as the days grew
fhorter and cooler, and the nights longer
and cooler, they then fellto 25 and 27
degrees.

Now, fo confiderable a heat of the Sun, |
at two feet depth, under the earth’s furface,
muft needs have a itrong influence, in raif-
ing the moifture at that and greater depths ;
whereby a very great and continual wreak
muit always be afcending, during the warm
fummer feafon, by night as well as day; for
the heat attwo feet depth is nearly the fame
night and day: The impulfeofthe Sun-beams
ee ing the moifture of the earth a brisk undu-
lating motion, which watery particles, when
feparated and rarified by heat, do afcend
inthe form of vapour: And the vigour of
warm and confined vapour, (fuch as is that
which is 1,2, or 3 feet deep in the earth)
muft be very confiderable, fo as to pene-
trate the roots with fome vigour; as we

Z may

Vegetable Staticks, 6s

may teafonably fuppofe, from the vaft force
of confined vapor in ¢ Zolpiles, in the di-
gefter of bones, and the engine to raife wa-
ter by fire.

If plants were not in this manner fup-
plied with moifture, it were impoflible for
them to fubfit, under the fcorching heats,
within the tropicks, where they have no
rain for many months together: For tho’
the dews are much greater there, than in
thefe more Northern climates ; yet doubtlefs
where the heat fo much exceeds ours, the
whole quantity evaporated in a day there;
does as far exceed the quantity that falls.
by night in dew, as the quantity evaporat-
ed here ina fummer’s day, is found to ex-
ceed the quantity of dew which falls in the
night. But the dew, which falls in a hot
fummer feafon, cannot poflibly be of any
benefit to the roots of trees; becaufe it is
remandéd back from the earth, by the fol-
lowing day’s heat, before fo {mall a quanti-
ty of moifture can have foaked to any con-
fiderable depth. The great benefit there-
fore of dew, in hot weather, muft be, by
being plentifully imbibed into vegetables ;
thereby not only refrefhing them for the

F prefent,

66 Vegetable Staticks.

prefent, but alfo furnifhing them with a
frefh fupply of moifture towards the great

expences of the fucceeding day. ©
Tis therefore probable, that the roots of
trees and plants are thus, by means of the
Sun’s-warmth, conftantly irrigated with
frefh fupplies of moifture; which, by the
fame means, infinuates it felf with fome
vigour into the roots. For if the moifture
ofthe earth were notthus aQuated, the roots
muft then receive all their nourifhment
meerly by imbibing the next adjoining
moifture from the earth; and confequent-
ly the fhell of earth, next the furface of the
roots, would always be confiderably drier
the nearer it isto the root; whichI have noe
obferved tobe fo. And by Exper. 18 and
19, the roots would be very hard put to ir,
to imbibe fufhcient moifture in dry fum-
mer weather, if it were not thus conveyed ~
to them, by the penetrating warmth of the
Sun: Whence by the fame genial heat, in
conjundion with the attra&ion of the capil-
lary fap veflels,° it is carried up thro’ the
bodies and branches of vegetables, and
thence pafling into the leaves, it is there
mof yigoroufly acted upon, in thofe thin
plates,

Vegetable Staticks. 67

plates, and put into an undulating motion,
by the Sun’s warmth, whereby it is moft
plentifully thrown off, and perfpired thro’
their furface; whence, as foon as it is dif-

_intangled, it mounts with great rapidity in

the free air.
But when, towards the latter end of Oc¢-
tober, the vigour of the Sun’s influence is

fo much abated, that the firt Thermometer

was fallen to 3 degrees above the freezing
point, the fecond to 10 degrees, the fifth to
14. degrees, and the fixth Thermometer to
16 degrees; then the brisk undulations of the
moifture of the earth, and alfo of the af-
cending fap, much abating, the leaves fad-
ed and fell off.

The greateft degree a cold, in the fol-
lowing winter, were in the firft 12 days of
November; during which time, the {pirit in
the firft Thermometer was fallen 4 degrees
below the freezing point, the deepeft 7 er-
mometer 10 degrees, the ice on ponds was
an inch thick, the Sun’s greateft warmth, at
the winter folftice, in a very ferene, calm,
frofty-day, was, againft a South afpect of a
wall, 19 degrees, and ina free open air, but
a1 degrees above the freezing point, From

F 2 the

68 Vegetable Staticks.

the roth of Zanuary to the aoth of March
was a very dry feafon; when the green
Wheat was generally the fineft that was
ever remembred. But from the 29th of
March 1725, to the 29th of September fol-
lowing, it rained more or lefs almoft e-
very day, except 10 or 12 days, about the
beginning of Fuly; and that whole feafon
continued fo very cool, that the fpirit in
the firft Thermometer rofe but to 24 degrees,
except now and then a fhort interval of
Sunfhine; the fecond only to 20 degrees;
the fifth and fixth to 24 and 23 degrees,
with very little variation: So that during
this whole fummer, thofe parts of roots
which were two feet under ground, had 3
or 4 degrees more warmth than thofe
which were but two inches under ground:
And ata medium the general degree of heat,
thro’ this whole fummer, both above and
under ground, was not greater than the heat

of the middle of the preceding September.
The year 1725, having been both in this
Ifland, and in the neighbouring Nations,
moft remarkably wet and cold; and the |
year 1723, in the other extream, as remar-_
ably dry, as hasever been known; it may
not.

Vegetable Staticks. 69

not be improper here to give a fhort ac-
count of them, andthe influence they had
on their productions.

« Mr. A@ller, in the account which he
took of the year 1723, obferved that the
Winter was mild and dry, except that in
February it rained almoftevery day , which
kept the {pring backward. March, April,
May, Fune, to the middle of Fuly, proved
extreamly dry, the wind North-eaff mott
part of the time. The fruits were for-
ward and pretty good; but kitchen-ftuff,
efpecially Beans and Peafe, failed much.
The latter half of a/y the weather prov-
ed very wet, which caufed the fruits to
grow fo faft, that many of them rotted
on the trees; fo that the autumn fruits
were not good. There were great plenty
of Melons, very large, but not well tafted.
Great plenty of Apples; many kinds of
fruits bloomed in 4uguff, which produc-
ed many {mall Apples and Pears in Oc-
tober, as alfo Strawberries and Rafpber-
ries in great plenty. Wheat was good,
little Barley, much of which was very un-
equally ripe, fome not at all, becaufe fowa

‘ late, and no timely rain to fetch it up,

PNG « There

1 70 Vegetable Staticks.

(a4

€

“

ce

“7~
~

Lay
n~

~
Cay

“
ay

There were innumerable Wafps; how it
fared with the hops this dry year, is men-
tioned under Exper, 9.

“ The following winter 1724, proved
very mild; the {pring was forward in
Fanuary, {othat the Snow-drops Crocus’s,
Polyanthus’s, Hepatica’s, and Narciflus’s,
werein Flower. And it was remarkable,
that moft of the Colliflower plants were
deftroyed by the mildew, of which there
was more, all this winter, than had been
known inthe memory of man, In Febra-
ary we had cold fharp weather, which
did fome damage to the early crops, and
it continued variable till Aprz/; fo that
much of the early Wall-fruit was cut off :
And again the 6th of May was a very
fharp froft, which much injured tender
plants and fruits. The fummer in gene-
ral was moderately dry, the common fruits
proved pretty good, but late: Melons
and Cucumbers were good for little:
Kitchen-ftuff was in great plenty in the
markets.

In the very wet and cold year 1725, moft

things were a full month backwarder than
ufual. Not half the Wheat in by the 24th

of

Vegetable Si taticks. 71
of Augu/t,in the Southern pats of Englands

very few Melonsor Cucumbers, and thofe
not good. The tender Exoticks fared but ills
{carce any Grapes, thofe fmall, and of very
unequal fizes, on the fame bunch, not ripes
Applesand Pears green andinfipids no frui
mor products of the ground good, but crude:
Pretty good plenty of Wheat tho’ coarfe,
and long ftraw; Barley coarfe, but plenty of
it in the uplands. Beans and Peafe, moft
flourifhing and plentiful; few Waflps oro-
ther infects, except Flies on hops. Hops
were very bad thro’ the whole Kingdom.
Mr. Auftin of Canterbury {ent me the fol-
lowing particular account, how it fard
with themthere; where they had more than

at Farnham, and mof other places, viz.
“At mid-pril not half the fhoots ap-
“ peared above ground; fo that the plan-
“ ters knew not how to pole them to the
€ beft advantage. This defe& of the fhoot,
«* upon opening the hills, was found to be
“ owing to the multitude and variety of
vermin that lay preying upon the root ;
“ the increafe of which was imputed to
s¢ thelong and almoft uninterrupted feries
“ of dry weather, for three months paft:
Bo“ Towards

€c

7% Vegetable Staticks.

<< Towards the end of 4pri/, many of the
<< hop-vines were infefted with the Flies.
<¢ About the zoth of May there was a
<< very unequal crop, fome Vines being
<¢ run feven feet, others not above three or
< four feet ; fome juft tied to the poles, and
“ fome not. vifible: And this difpropor-
“ tionate inequality in their fize conti-
¢* nued thro’ the whole time of their growth.
«* The Flies now appeared upon the leaves
<< of the forwardeft Vines, but not in fuch
«© numbers here, as they did in moft other
<< places. About the middle of Fume, the
Flies increafed, yet not fo as to endan.
“ ser the crop; but in diftant planta-
<* tions they were exceedingly multiplied,
‘© fo as to {warm towards the end of the
s¢ month. Fane 27th fome fpecks of fen”
«© appeared: From this day, to the oth of
«¢ Fuly, was very fine dry weather. At this
¢* time, when it was faid that the hops in
«* moft other parts of the Kingdom look-
«< ed black and fickly, and feemed paft re-
** covery, ours held it out pretty well, ins
«¢ the opinion of the moft skilful Planters.
** The great leaves were indeed difcolour-
ed and a little withered, and the fen was
“ fome-

“
wn

Vegetable Staticks. 73

fomewhat increafed. From the oth of
Fuly to the 23d the Fen increafed a good
deal, but the Flies and Lice decreafed, it
raining daily much: In a week more the
Fen, which feemed to be almoft at a ftand,
was confiderably increafed, efpecially in
thofe grounds where it firft appeared. A-
bout the middle of 4uguf?, the Vines had
done growing both in ftem and branch ;
and the forwardeft began to be in Hop,
the reft in Bloom: the Fen continued
fpreading, where it was not before per-
ceived, and not only the leaves, but many
of the Burrs alfo were’ tainted with it.
About the 20th of Juguff, fome of the
Hops were infected with the Fen, and
whole branches corrupted by it. Half the
Plantations had hitherto pretty well ef-
caped, and from this time the Fen increa-
fed but little: But feveral days violent
wind and rain, in the following week, fo
difordered them, that many of them be-
gan to dwindle, and at laft came to no-
thing; and of thofe that then remained
in bloom, fome neverturned to Hops ;
and of the reft which did, many of them

« were fo {malJ, that they very little ex-

* ceeded

74 Vegetable Staticks.

“« ceeded the bignefs of a good thriving
“ Burr. We did not begin to pick till the
‘ sthof September, which was 18 days later
<< than we began the year before: The crop
“« was little above two hundred on an acre
<“* round, and not good.” The beft Hops
fold this year at Vay-Hiil Fair for fixteen
pounds the hundred.

The almoft uninterrupted wetnefs and
coldnefs of the year 1725, very much af-
feted the produce of the Vines the enfu-
ing year; and we have fufficient proof
from the obfervations that the 4 or 5 laft
years afford us, that the moifture or drynefs
of the preceding year, has a confiderable in-
fluence on the produdtions of the Vine the
following year. Thus inthe year 1722, there
was a dry feafon, from the beginning of
Auguft thro the following autumn and
Winter, and the next fummer there was
good plenty of Grapes. The year 1723
was a remarkably dry year,-and in the fol-
lowing year 1724, there was an unufual
plenty of Grapes. The year 1724 was mo-
derately dry, and the following {pring the
Vines produced a fufficient quantity of bran-
ches, but by reafon of the wetnefs and cold-

nefs

“

Vegetable Staticks. 75

nefs of the year 1725 they proved abortive,
and produced hardly any Grapes. This very
wet year had an ill effect, not only upon its
own productions, but alfo on thofe of the
following year: For notwithftanding there
was a kindly {pring and blooming feafon in
the year 1726. yet there were few bunches
produced, except here and there in fome
very dry foils. This, many Gardiners forefaw
early, when upon pruning of the Vines, they
obferved the bearing fhoots to be crude and
immature ; which was the reafon why they
were not fruitful. The firft crop thus failing
in many places, the Vines produced a fe-
cond, which had not time to come to matu-
rity, before the cold weather came on.

I have often obferved from thefe Ther-
mometers, when that kind of hovering lam-
bent Fog arifes, (either mornings or eve-
nings) which frequently betokens fair wea-
ther, that the air which inthe preceding
day was much warmer, has upon the abfence
of the fun become many degrees cooler than
the furface of the earth; which being near
1500 times denfer than the air, cannot be
fo foon affeGted with the alternacies of hot
and cold ; whence tis probable, that thofe

vapours

76 Wegetable Staticks.

vapours which are raifed by the warmth of
the earth, are by the cooler air foon con-
denfed into a vifible form. And I have ob- |
ferved the fame difference between the cool-
nefs of the air, and the warmth of water in
a pond, by putting my Thermometer, which
hung all night in the open air in fummer
time, into the water, juft before the rifing of
the fun, when the like reek or fog was rifing
on the furface of the water.

CH; AsPo2 Kl.

Experiments, whereby to find out the force
with which Trees imbibe moifture.

A VIN G inthe rft chapter feen many

proofs of the great quantities of li-
quor imbibed and perfpired by vegetables,
i propofe inthis, to enquire with what force
they do imbibe moifture.

Tho’ vegetables (which are inanimate )
have not an engine, which, by its alternate
dilatations and contractions, does in animals
forcibly drive the blood through the arte-
ties and veins; yet has nature wonderfully
contrived other means, moft powerfully to
raife and keep in motion the fap, as will

in

Vegetable Staticks. 79

in fome meafure appear by the experiments
in this and the following chapter.

I fhall begin with an experiment upon
roots, which nature has providently taken
care tO cover with a very fine thick ftrai-
ner; that nothing fhall be admitted into
them, but what can readily be carryed off
by perfpiration, vegetables having no o-
ther provifion for difcharging their recre-
ment.

EXPERIMENT XXI.

Augufe tz. In the very dry year 1723,
I dug down 2 -|- 3 feet deep to the root
of a thriving baking ‘Pear-tree, and lay-
ed bare a root 4 inch diameter #. (Fig. 10.)
I cut off the end of the root at z, and put
the remaining ftump z # into the glafs tube
dr, whichwas an inch diameter and 8 inches
long, cementing it faft atr; the lower pant
of the tube d = was 18 inches long, and: 2
inch diameter in bore.

Then I turned the lower end of the tube
= uppermoft, and filled it full of water, and
then immediately immerfed the {mall end z=
into the ciftern of mercury x; taking away

my

~,

78 Vegetable Staticks.

my finger, which ftopped up the end of the
tube =z.

The root imbibed the water with fo
much vigor, that in 6 minutes time the mer-
cury was raifed up the tube d = as high as
&, viz. § inches.

The next morning, at 8 a clock, the mer-
cury was fallen to 2 inches height, and 2
inches of the end of the root z were yet
immerfed in water. As the root imbibed
the water, innumerable air bubbles iffued
out at z, which occupied the upper part of
the tube at 7 as the water left it.

EXPERIMENT XXII.

The eleventh experiment fhews, with
what great force branchesimbibe water,where
a branch with leaves imbibed much more
than a column of 7 feet height of water
could in the fame time drive thro’ 13 in-
ches length of the biggeft part of its ftem.
And in the following experiments we fhall
find a further proof of their {trong imbi-
bing power.

May 25,1 cut off a branch of a young
thriving Apple-tree 0, (Fig. 11.) about 3

feet

Vegetable Staticks. 79

feet long, with lateral branches; the diame-
ter of the tranfverfe cut z, where it was cut
off, was 2 of aninch: The great end of this
branch I put into the cylindrical glafs e7,
which was an inch diameter within, and
eight inches long.

I then cemented faft the joynt r, firft fold-
ing a ftrap of fheeps skin round the ftem,
fo as to make it fit well to the tube atr;
then I cemented faft the joynt with a mixture
of Bees-wax and turpentine melted together
in fuch a proportion, as tomake a very ftiff
clammy Pafte when cold, and overthecement
I folded feveral times wet Bladders, binding
it firm with Pack-thread.

At the lower end of the large tube e was
cemented, on a leffer tube = e, } inch dia-
meter in bore, and 18 inches long: The
fubftance of this tube ought to be full 4 of
an inch thick, elfe it will too eafily zest
in making this experiment.

Thefe two tubes were cemented together
at e, firft with common hard brick-duft ce-
ment to keep the tubes firm to each other ;
butthis hard cement would, by the different
dilatations and contractions of the glafs and
cement, feparate from the glafsin hot wea-

4. ther,

80 Vegetable Staticks.

ther, fo as to let in air; to prevent which in-
convenience, I further fecured the joynt
with the cement of Bees-wax and Turpen-
tine, binding a wet bladder over all.

When the branch was thus fixed, I turned
it downwards, and the glafs tube upwards,
and then filled both tubes full of water ;
upon which limmediately applied the end of
my finger to clofe up the end of the {mall
tube, and immerfed it as faft as I could into
the glafs ciftern x, which was full of mer-
cury and water.

When the branch was now uppermoft, and
placed as in this figure, then the lower end
of the branch was immerfed 6 inches in
water, viz. from 7 toz.

Which water was imbibed by the branch, —
at its tranfverfe cut z; and as the water af-
cended up the fap veflels. of the branch,
fo the mercury afcended up the tubee 2
from the ciftern «; fo as in half an houtr’s
time the mercury was rifen 5 inches and
< high up to 2.

And this height of the mercury did in
fome meatfure fhew the force with which the
fap was imbibed, tho’ not near the whole
force; for while the water was imbibing,

4 the

Vegetable Staticks. Q

the tranfverfe cut of the branch, was co-
vered with innumerable little hemifpheres of
air, and many air bubbles iffued out of
the fap veflels, which air did in part fill
the tube er, asthe water was drawn out of
it; fothat the height of the mercury could
only be proportionable to the excefs of the
quantity of water drawn off, above the quan-
tity of air which iffued out of the wood.

And if the quantity of air, which iffued
from the wood into the tube, had been equal
to the quantity of water imbibed, then the
mercury would not rife at all; becaufe there
would be no rooin for it in the tube.

But if 9 parts in 12 of the water be im-
bibed by the branch, and in the mean time
but 3 fuch parts of air iffue into the tube,
then the mercury muft needsrife near 6 inches,
and fo proportionably in different cafes.

I obferved in this, and moft of the follow-
ing experiments of this fort, that the mer:
cury rofé higheft, when the fun was very
clear and warm; and towards evening ir
would fubfide 3 or 4 inches, and rife again
the next day as it grew warm, but feldom
to the fame height it did at firft. For I
have always found the fap veficls grow every.

‘oe day;

82 Vegetable Staticks.

day, after cutting, lefs pervious, not only for
water, but alfo for the fap of the yine, which
never pafles to and fro fo freely thro’ the
tran{verfe cut, after it has been cut 3 or 4
days, as at firft; probably, becaufe the cut
capillary veffels are fhrunk, the veficles alfo,
and interftices between them, being faturate
and dilated with extravafated fap, much more
than they are in a natural ftate.

If I cut an inch or two off the lower
part of the ftem, which has been much {atu-
zated by ftanding in water, then the branch
will imbibe water again afrefh; tho’ not al-
together fo freely, as when the branch was
firft cut off the tree.

I repeated the fame experiment as this 22d,
upon a great variety of branches of feveral
fizes and of different kinds of trees, fome
of the principal of which are as follow,
UZ.

ExPERIMENT XXIII.

Fuly 6th and sth, I repeated the fame ex-
periment with feveral green fhoots of the
Vine, of this year’s growth, each of them
full two yards long.

The

Vegetable Staticks. 83

The mercury rofe much more leifurely in
thefe experiments, than with the Apple-tree
branch; the more the fun was upon it, the fa@
ter and higher the mercury rofe, but the Vine-
branches could not draw it above 4 inches
the firft day, and 2 inches the third day.

And asthe fun fet, the mercury fometimes
fubfided wholly, and would rife again the
next day, as the fun came on the Vine-
branch.

And I obferved, that where fome of thef
Vine-branches were fix'd on the north fide
of the large trunk of a Pear-tree, the mer-
cury then rofe moft in the evening abour 6a
clock, asthe fun came onthe Vine-branch,

ExPERIMENT XXIV.

Auguft 9, at 10 ante Merzd. (very hot fun-

- fhine ) Ifixed in the (ame manner as Exp. 22.

a Non-pareil branch, which had 20 Apples

onit; it was 2 feet high, with lateral bran-
| ches, its tranfverfe cut % inch diameter: It

immediately began to raife the mercury moft
vigoroufly, fo asin 7 minutes it was got
up to & 12 inches high.

G2 Mer-

84 | Vegetable Staticks.

Mercury being 13 -+ § times fpecifically
heavier than water, it may eafily be eftima-
ted to what height the feveral branches in
thefe experiments would raife water; for if
any branch can raife mercury 12 inches, it
will raife water 13 feet -- 8 inches: A
further allowance being alfo made for the
perpendicular height of the water in the
tubes, between r and & the top of the co-
lum of mercury, for that column of water is
above lifted up by the mercury, be it more
or lefs.

At the fame time, I tryed a Golden Re-
ate branch 6 feet long, the mercury rofe
but 4 inches, it rifing higher or lower in
branches nearly of the fame fize and of the
fame kind of tree, according as the air if-
fued thro’ the fem, more or lefs freely.
In the preceding experiment on the Non-
pareil branch, I had fucked a little with my
mouth at the {mall end of the tube, to get
fome air bubbles. out of it, before I im-
merfed it in the mercury ; (but thefe air
bubbles are beft got out by a fmall wire
run to and fro in the tube) and this fuce
tion made air bubbles arife out of the tran&
verie cut of the branch ; but tho’ the quan-

i eeiey

Vegetable Staticks. 8

tity of thofe air bubbles thus fucked out,
was but fmall; yet in this and many other
experiments, I found that after fuch fuc-
tion, the water was imbibed by the: branch,
much more grecdily, and in much greater
quantity than the bulk of the air was, which
was fucked out. Probably therefore, thefe
air bubbles, when in the fap veffels, do flop
the free afcent of the water, as is the cafe
of little portions of air got between the wa-
ter in capillary glafs tubes.

When the mercury is raifed to its greateft
height, by precedent fuG@iion with the
mouth, ( which height it reaches fometimes
in 7 minutes, fometimes in half an hour or
an hour) then from that time it begins to
fall, and continues fo to do, till it is fallen
§ or 6 inches, the height the branch would
have drawn it to, without fucking with the
- mouth. .

But when in avery warm day, the mer-
cury is drawn up 5 or 6 inches, ( without
precedent fuction with the mouth ) then it
will ufually hold up to that height for fe-
veral hours, vzz. during the vigorous warmth
of the fun; becaufe the fun is all that time
ftrongly exhaling moifture from the branch

G 3 thro’

86 Vegetable Staticks.

thro’ the leaves, on which account it muft
therefore imbibe water the more greedily,
as is evident by many experiments in the firft
chapter.

When a branch is fixed to a glafs tube
fet in mercury, and the mercury fubfides at
night, it will not rife the next morning
(as the warmth of the fun increafes upon it)
unlefs you fill the tube firft full of water :
For if half or 4 of the large tube ¢ r be full
of air, that air will be rarified by the fun;
which rarefa@ion will deprefs the water in
the tube, and confequently the mercury
cannot rife.

But where little water is imbibed the
firft day, (as in the cafe of the green fhoots
of the Vine, Exper. XXIII.) then the mer-
cury will rifethe fecond and third day, as
the warmth of the fun comes on, without
refilling the little water that was imbibed.

EXPERIMENT XXV.

In order to make the like experi-
ment on larger branches (when I expec-
ted the mercury would have rifen much
higher than in {mall ones) I caufed glaf

{es

Vegetable Staticks. 87

fes to be blown of the fhape of this here
defcribed (Fig. 12.) of feveral dimenfions
at r, from two to five inches diameter, with
a proportionably large cavity ¢: the ftem 2
as near 4 inch diameter as could be, the
length of the ftem 16 inches.

I cemented one of thefe glafs veffels to
a large {mooth barked thriving branch of an
Apple-tree, which was 12 feet long, 1 + 4
inch diameter at z: I filled the glafs tube
With water, and immerfed the fmall end in
the mercury x, which rofe but 4 inches,
yet it imbibed water plentifully ; but the
air iflued too faft out of the branch at z,
for the mercury to rife high.

This, and many other experiments of this
kind, convince me that branches of 2, 3,
or 4 years old, are the beft adapted to draw
the mercury higheft: The veffels of thofe
that are older being too large and pervious
to the air, which paffes moft freely thro’
the bark, efpecially at old eyes: As will be
more fully proved in the fifth chapter.

EXPERIMENT XXVI.

Sey 30th at noon, a mixture of fun and
G 4 clouds,

88 Vegetable Staticks.

clouds, the day and night before; 24 hours:
continual rain: I cut of a branch ef a Gol, ©
den P ippin-iree, 6 b (Fig. 13.) about3 feet
lons, with feveral large lateral branches 5 its
diameter at the great end p near an inch;
which end I cemented well, and tyed over
it a piece of wet bladder.

Then I cut off at z the main tep twig,
where it was + inch diameter: I cemented
the glafs tube 27, to the remaining branch
g7, and tiicn filing the tube with water;
fet its lower end in the mercury: Se
that now the braach was placed with its

top zdownwards inthe water, in the Ageca-
mercurial gaze.

Ir imbibed the water with fuch firength,
as to raife the mercury with an almoft e-
uable —— 11 -|- ¢ inches by 3 a

¢ fun fhining then very warm)
ag ern time the water in the tube rz
being all imbibed; fo that the end of the
branch Was out of the water, then the air
pubbics pafling more freely down toz, and

i

o water being imbibed, the mercury fub-
fided 2 or 3 inches in an hour. ~~
At a quarter pait 4 a clock, I refilled the

gage with water, upon which the mercury
| rofe

¥ ‘ ni
arte Shans ah Se om ON *

eer

Vegetable Staticks. 89

rofe afrefh from the ciftern, vzz. 6 inches
the firt + of an hour, and in an hour more
the mercury reached the fame height as be-
fore, vig. 11 --+ % inches: Andin an hour
and } more it rofe + inch more than at firft;
but in half an hour after this it began gent-
ly to fubfide ; viz. becaufe the fun declining
and fetting, the perfpiration of the leaves
decreafed, and confequently the imbibing
of the water at 7 abated, for the end z was
then an inch in water.

Fuly 31. It raining all this day, the
mercury rofe but 3 inches, which height
it flood at all the next night. Auguft ik
fair fun-fhine; this day the mercury rofe to
$ inches: This fhews again the influence
of the fun, in raifing the mercury.

This Experiment proves that branches
will ftrongly imbibe from the fmall end
immerfed in water to the ‘great end; as
well as from the great end immerfed in
water to the fmall end; and of this we
fall have furthez proof in the fourth chapter.

EXPERIMENT XXVII.

In order to try, whether branches would
imbibe

90 Vegetable Staticks.

imbibe with the like force, with the bark
off, I took two branches which I call 17
and WN; 1 fixed M/ in the fame manner as
the branch in the foregoing Experiment,
with itstop downwards, but firt I took off
all the bark from ztor. Then I fix’d in the
fame manner the branch N, but with its
great end downwards, having alfo taken off
all the bark from 2 to rs both the branches
drew the mercury up to 2, 8 inches; fo
they imbibed with equal ftrength at either
end, and that without bark.

EXPERIMENT XXVIII.

Augufe 13. 1 ftripped the leaves off an
Apple tree branch, and then fixed the great
end of the ftem in the gage; it raifed the
mercury 2 -+ z inches, but it foon {ubfided,
for want of the plentiful perfpiration of
the leaves, fo that the air came in almoft as
faft as the branch imbibed water,

EXPERIMENT XXIX.

I tryed alfo with what force branches
would imbibe, at their fmall ends, as they
4 are

Vegetable Staticks. ox
are in their natural {tate growing to the
trees.

Auguft 2d 1 cemented faft the gage rzz
(Fig. 14.) tothe pliant branch 4, of a dwarf
Golden P ippin-tree, the fame from which I
cut the branch in Experiment 26: As the
tran{verfe cut z imbibed the water, the mer-
cury rofe 5 inches obliquely in the tube z,
and 4 inches perpendicular.

In this, as alfo in many of the preced-
ing Experiments there were feveral wounds,
in that part of the branch which was with-
in the large tube rz; which were made by
cutting off little lateral twigs, and {welling
eyes, that the branch might eafily enter the
tube: And if thefe wounds ( thro’ which the
air always iffued plentifully) were well co-
vered with fheeps-gut, bound over with pack-
thread, it would in a good meafure prevent
the inconvenience: But I always found that
my Experiments of this kind {ucceeded bef,
when that part of the branch which was to
enter the tube 7 z, was clear of all knots
or wounds; for when there were no knots,
the liquor paffed moft freely, and lefs air
iftuediont, > 2.

The

92 Vegetable Staticks.

» The fame day I fixed in the fame man.
ner a gage to an Apricock-tree, it raifed the
mercury 3 inches; and tho’ all the water
was foon imbibed, yet the mercury rofe
every day an’inch, for many days, andfub.-
fided at night ; fo thatthe branch muft daily -
imbibe thus much air, and remit it at night.

EXPERIMENT XXX.

We have a further proof of the influ:
ence of the leaves in raifing the fap in this
following Experiment.

g Aagife thy I cut off a large Ruffet Pippin
a aii Big: 15.) with a ftalk 1-1 # inch long,
and 12 adjoyning leaves g growing to it. -

I cemented the flalk faft into the upper
end of the tube d,. which tube was 6 ine
ches long,-and 3 inch diameter; as the ftalk
imbibed the w ater, it raifed the mercury to
z, four inches high.

I fix’danother Apple of the fame fize and
tree, in the fame manner, but firft pulled
off the leaves; it raifedthe mercury but one
inch; I fixed in the fame manner a like
bearing twig with 12 leaves on it, but no
apple; it raifed the mercury 3 inches.

I then

=

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SAY
Fy Z

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Vegetable Staticks. 53

I then took a like bearing twig, without
either leaves or apple, it raifed the mer-
cury ~ inch.

Soatwig, with an apple and leaves rai
ed the mercury 4 inches, one with leaves
only 3 inches, one with an apple without
Jeaves 1 inch.

A Quince which had two leaves, juft at
the twig’s infertion into it, raifed the mer-
cury 2 -| }-inches, and held it up a confi-
derable time.

A {prig of Mint fix’d in the fame manner,
raifed the mercury 3 -+- % inch, equal to
4 feet +- 5 inches height of water. i

EXPERIMENT XXXI.

I tryed alfo the imbibing force of a great
variety of trees, by fixing Aqueo-mercurial
gages to branches of them cut off, as in Ex-
periment 22.

The Pear, Quince, Cherry, Walnut, Peach,
Apricock, Plumb, Black-thorns, White-
thorns, Goofeberry, Water-Elder, Sycamore,
raifed the mercury from 6 to 3 inches high :
Thofe which imbibed water moft freely, in
the Experiments of ithe firt chapter, raifed

the

94 Vegetable Staticks.

the mercury higheft in thefe Experiments,
except the Horfe-Chefnut, which tho’ it
imbibed water moft freely, yet raifed the
mercury but one inch, becaufe the air pafled
very faft thro’ its fap-veffels into the gage.

The following raifed the mercury but 1
or 2 inches, vzz. the Elm, Oak, Horfe-
Chefnut, Filberd, Fig, Mulberry, Willow,
Sallow, Ofier, Afh, Lynden, Currans.

The Evergreens, and following trees and
plants, did not raife it at all. The Laurel,
Rofemary, Laurus-Tinus, Philarea, Fuz, Rue,
Berberry, Jeflamine, Cucumber- branch, Pum-
kin, Jerufalem Artichoke.

ExPERIMENT XXXII,

We have a further proof of the great
force, with which vegetables imbibe moi-
fture, in the following Experiment, vuzz. I
filled near full with Peafe and Water, the
iron Pot (Fig. 37.) and layed on the Peafe
a leaden cover, between which, and the fides
of the Pot, there was room for the air which
came from the Peafe, to pafs freely. I
then layed one hundred eighty four pounds

weight on them, which (as the Peafe di-
| lated

Vegetable Staticks. 95

jated by imbibing the water) they lifted
up. The dilatation of the Peafe is always
equal to the quantity of water they imbibe :
For if a few Peafe be put into a Veffel, and
that Veffel be filled full of water, tho’ the .
Peafe dilate to near double their natural
fize ; yet the water will not flow over the
Veffel, or at moft very inconfiderably, on
account of the expanfion of little air bub-
bles, which are iffuing from the Peafe. Be-
ing defirous to try, whether they would
yaife a much greater weight, by means of a
lever with weights at the end of it, Icom-
preffed feveral frefh parcels of Peafe in the
fame Pot, with a force equal to 1600, 800,
and 4.00 pounds ; in which Experiments, tho’
the Peafe dilated, yet they did not raife the
lever, becaufe what they increafed in bulk
was, by the great incumbent weight, preffed
into the interftices of the Peafe, which they
adequately filled up, being thereby formed
into pretty regular Dodecahedrons.

We fee in this Experiment the vaft force
with which fwelling Peafe expand, and ’tis
doubtlefs a confiderable part of the fame
force which is exerted, not only in puth-
ing the Plume upwards into the air, but

alfo

96 Vegetable Staticks.

alfo in enabling the firft fhooting radicle of
the Pea, and ali its fubfequent tender Fibres, ©
to penetrate and fhoot into the earth. —

EXPERIMENT XXXII.

We fee, in the Experiments of this chap-
ter, many inftances of the great efficacy of
attraction ; that univerfal principle which
is fo operative in all the very different
works of nature ; and is moft eminently fo
in vegetables, all whofe minuteft parts are
curioufly ranged in fuch order, as is beft
adapted by their united force, to attract pro-
per nourifhment.

And we fhall find in the following Ex-
periment, that the diffevered particles of
vegetables, and of other bodies, have a
ftrong attractive power when they lay con-
fufed.

That the particles of wood are fpecifi-
cally heavier than water (and can there-
fore ftrongly attra& it) is evident, becaufe
feveral forts of wood fink immediately ; o-
thers (even cork) when their interftices are
well foaked, and filled with water; others
( as the Peruvian Bark ) fink when very finely

pulve-

Vegetable Staticks. 97
pulverized, becaufe all their cavities, which
made them fwim, are thereby deftroyed.

In order to try the imbibing power of
eommon wood abhes, I filled a glafs tube
cri,3 feet long, and 2 of an inch diameter
(Fig. 16.) with well dryed and fifted wood
afhes; prefling them clofe with a rammer, I
tyed a piece of linen over the end of the
tube at z, to keep the afhes from falling outs
I then cemented the tube ¢ faft at.r to the
Aqueo-mercurial gage r z, and when I
had filled the gage full of water, I immet-
fed it im the ciftern’ of mercury 4%: Then
to the upper end of thetube ¢, at o If{crewed
on the mercurial gage a 6. |

The afhes as they imbibed the water drew
the mercury up 3 or 4.inchesin a few hours
towards 2; but the three following days it
rofe but 1 inch, ¢ inch, and 4, and fo lefs
and lefs, fo that in 5 or 6 days it ceafed ri.
fing: The higheft it rofe was 7 inches,
which was equal to raifing water 8 feet
high.

This had very little effe& on the mer-
cury in the gage a 6, unlefs it were, that ig
would rife a little, wze. an inch or little
More in the gage ata, as it were by the fuc-

Pe 3 tion.

98 Vegetable Staticks.

tion of the afhes, to fupply fome of the air

bubbles which were drawn out at z.

But when I feparated the tube ¢ 0 from |

the gage r 2, and fet the end z in. water,
then the moifture (being not reftrained as
before) rofe fafter and higher in the afhes
co, and depreffed the mercury at a, fo as
to be 3 inches lower than in the leg 4, by
driving the air upwards, which was inter-
mixed with the afhes.

- I filled another tube 8 feet long, and?
inch diameter with red lead; and affixed it
in the place of ¢ 0 to the gagesa db, r z,
The mercury rofe gradually 8 inches to s.

In both thefe Experiments, the end z was
covered with innumerable air bubbles, many
of which continually paffed off, and were
{ucceeded by others, as at the tran{verfe cuts
in the Experiments of this chapter. And as
there, fo in thefe, the quantity of air bub-
bles decreafed every day, fo as at laft to have
very few: The part z immerfed in the wa-
ter, being become fo faturate therewith, as
to leave no zoom for air to pafs.

After 20 days I picked the minium oug
of the tube, and found the water had rifen
2 feet 7 inches, and would no doubt have

| rifen

eh

Vegetable Staticks, 99

rifen higher, if it had not been clogged
by the mercury in the gage 2. For which*
reafon the moifture rofe but 20 inches in
the afhes, where it would otherwife have
rifen 30 or 40 inches.

And as Sir L/zac Newton (in his Op-

ticks query 31.) obferves, ‘‘ The water rifes

4
°¢4
€e
€<

<¢

€¢

ce

4

wn

6

row

up to this height, by the a@ion only of
thofe particles of the afhes which are
upon the furface of the elevated water ;
the particles which are within the water,
attrading or repelling it as much down-
wards as upwards ; and therefore the ac-
tion of the particles is very ftrong: But
the particles of the afhes being not fo
denfe and clofe together as thofe of
glafs, their action is not fo ftrong as that
of glafs, which keeps quick-filver fufpen-
ded to the height of 60 or 70 inches,
and therefore acts with a force, which
would keep water fufpended to the height
of above 6o feet. |
<¢ By the fame principle, a {ponge fucks
in water, and the glands in the bodies of
animals, according to their feveral na-
tures and difpofitions, fuck in various~
juices from the blood.”

iz And

100 Vegetable Staticks.

And by the fame principle it is, that we
fee in the preceding Experiments plants
imbibe moifture fo vigoroufly up their fine
capillary veflels ; which moifture, as it is car-
ryed off in per{piration, (by the action of
warmth,) thereby gives the fap veffels li-
berty to be almoft continually attraGing
of frefh fupplies, which they could not do,
if they were full faturate with moifture: For
without perfpiration the fap muft neceffarily
ftagnate, notwithftanding the fap veffels are
fo curioufly adapted by their exceeding fine-
nefs, to raife the fap to great heights, in
a reciprocal proportion to their very minute
diameters.

Ge A: Pj alk
Experiments, fbewing the force of the fap
an the Vine in the bleeding feafon.

eee in the firft chapter fhewn
many inftances of the great quanti-
ties imbibed, and perfpired by trees, and in.
the fecond chapter, feen the force with
which they do imbibe moifture ; I propofe
next, to give an account of thofe Experi-
ments, which prove with what great force

I the

Vegetable Staticks. IOL

the fap of the Vine is pufhed forth, in the
bleeding feafon.

EXPERIMENT XXXIV. °

March 30th at 3 p. m. I cut off a Vine
on a weftern afpect, within feven inches of
the ground, the remaining ftump ¢ (Fig. 17)
had no lateral branches: It was 4 or 5 years
old, and 4 inch diameter. I fix’d to the top
of the flump, by means of the brafs col-
lar 6, the glafstube 6 f, feven feet long, and
+ inch diameter; I fecured the joynt 6 with
fiiff cement made of melted Beeswax and
Turpentine, and bound it faft over with f{e-
veral folds of wet bladder and pack-thread :
I then {crewed a fecondtube f g to the
firft, and then a third g ato 25 feet height.

The ftem not bleeding into the tube, I
filled the tube two feet high with water,
the water was imbibed by the ftem within
3 inches of the bottom, by 8 a clock that
evening. Inthe night it rained a {mall
fhower. The next morning at 6 -++- ;, the
water was rifen three inches above what it
was fallen to laft night at eight a clock,
The Thermometer which hung in my porch

H 3 was

102 Vegetable Staticks.

was It degrees above the freezing point,
March 31% from 6 +-}4m,to 10p. m. the fap
role 8 -- finches, April tft at 6 am. Thermo
meter 3 degrees above the freezing point,
and a white hoar froft, the fap rofe from
tena clock laft night 3 +- 4 inches more 5
and fo continued rifing daily till it was a-
bove 21 feet high, and would very proba-
bly have rifen higher, if the joynt @ had not
feveral times leaked : After ftopping of which
it would rife fometimes at the rate of an-
inch in 3 minutes, fo as to rife 10 feet or
more in a day. In the chief bleeding {cafon
it would continue rifing night and day, but
much more in the day than night, and moft
of all in the greateft heat of the day; and
what little finking it had of 2 or 3 inchcs
was always after fun fet, which I fulpeé
was principally occafioned by the fhrink-
ing and contraction of the cement at 4,

it grew cool).

When the fun fhined hot upon the Vine,
there was always a continued feries of air
bubbles, conftantly afcending from the ftem
thro’ the fap in the tube, in fo great plenty
as to make a large froth on the top of |
the fap, which fhews the great quantity of
alr

Vegetable Staticks. 103

air which is drawn in thro’ the roots and
fiem.

From this Experiment we find a confide-
rable energy in the root to pufh up fap in
the bleeding feafon.

This put me upon trying, whether I could
find any proof of fuch an energy, when the
bleeding feafon was over, in order to which

ExpERIMENT XXXV.

_ Fuly 4th at noon, I cut off within 3 in-
ches of the ground, another Vz#e on a fouth
afpe&, and fixed to it a tube 7 feet high, as
in the foregoing Experiment ; I filled the tube
With water, which was imbibed by the root
the firft day, at the rate of a foot in an hour,
but the next day much more flowly, yet ic
Was continually finking, fo that at noon day

I could not fee it fo much as ftationary.
Yet by Experiment the 3d, on the Vine
in the garden pot, it is plain, that a very
confiderable quantity of fap was daily pref-
fing thro’ this ftem, to fupply the perfpira-
tion of the leaves, before I cut the vine off.
And if ‘this great quantity were carried up by
H 4 pulfion

104 Vegetable Staticks.

pulfion or trufion, it muft needs have rifen
out of the ftem into the tube.

Now fince this flow of fap ceafes at once,
as foon as the Vine was ¢ut off the fiem,
the principal caufe of its rife muft at the
fame time be taken away, viz. the great
perfpiration of the leaves.

For tho’ it is plain by many Experiments,
that the fap enters the fap veffels of plants
with much vigour, and is probably carried
up to great heights in thofe veffels, by the
vigorous undulations of the fun’s warmth,
which may reciprocally canfe vibrations in
the veficles and fap veffels, and thereby make
them dilate and centra& alittle; yet it feems
as plain (from many Experiments, as parti-
cularly Exper.’ 13,<r4;-15.. and <Exper. 433
where tho’ we are aflured that a great quan-
tity of water paffed by the notch cut 2 or 3
treet above the end of the ftem; yet was the
notch very dry, becaufe the attraction of the
per{piring leaves was much greater than the
torce of trufion from the column of water ,
From theie Experiments, I fay, it feems
evident, that the capillary fap veffels, out of
the bleeding fcafon, have little power to pro-

oe

Vegetable Staticks. oo
trude fap in any plenty beyond their orifices.
but as any fap is evaporated off, they can
by their ftrong attraction (aflifted by the
genial warmth of the fun) fupply the great
quantities of fap drawn off by perfpiration.

EXPERIMENT XXXVI.

April 6th at 9. 2m. rain the evening be-
fore, I cut off a Vine on a fouthern af-
pect, at 2 (Fig. 18.) two feet nine inches
from the ground, the remaining ftem a 4,
had no lateral branches, it was 2 inch dia-
meter, I fixed on it the mercurial gage ay.
At 11 4 m. the mercury was rifen to z, 15
inches higher than in the leg x, being pufhed
down atx, by the force of the fap which
came out of the ftem at a.

At 4p. m. it was funk aninch in the leg 2 y.

April 7that 8 a.m. rifen very little, a
fog: at it 4.m. tis 17 incheshigh, andthe
fog gone.

April roth at 7 4. m= mercury 18 inches
high; I then added more mercury, fo as to
make the furface 2 23 inches higher than x ;
the fap retreated very little into the ftem,
upon this additional weight, which fhews

7 with

106 | Kegetable Staticks.
with what an abfolute force it advances: a¢
noon it was funk one inch. |

April 11th at7 4. m.24 +- 3 inches high,
fun-fhine : at 7 p. #. 18 inches high.

April 14th at 7 4. m. 20 + inches high,
at 9 a. m. 22 - 5, fine warm {un- thine ; ;
here we fee that the warm morning fun
gives a frefh vigour to the fap. At 11 a.m.
the fame day 16 +- ,- the great perfpira-
tion of the ftem makes it fink.

April v6th at 64. m. 19 +3 rain. Ata
p. m. 13 inches. The fap (in the foregoing
Experiment, numb, 34) rifen this day fince
noon 2 inches, while this funk by the per-
{piration of the ftem; which there was lit-
tle room for, in the very fhort ftem of the
other.

April iz at tt a.m. 24 + % inch high,
rain and warm; at 7 p. m. 29 -1 i, fine
warm rainy weather, which made the fap
rife all day, there being litele perfpiration
by reafon of the rain.

April 18th at 7 4. m. 32 + } inches
high, and would have rifen higher, if there
had been more mercury in the gage; it be-
ing all forced into the leg y g. From this

time toMay sth, the force gradually decreafed,
The

WW

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i
M\\i
A

Vegetable Staticks. 107

The greateft height of the mercury be.
ing 32 +4 inches; the force of the fap
was then equal to 36 feet 5 -| } inches
height of water.

Here the force of the rifing fap in the mor-
ning is plainly owing to the energy of the
root and ftem. In another like mercurial!
gage, (fixed near the bottom of a Vine which
run 20 feet high) the mercury was raifed by
the force of the fap 38 inches equal to 43
feet 4- 3 inches.-| } height of water.

W aich force is near five times greater than
the force of the blood in the great crural ar-
tery of a Horfe; feven times greater than
the force of the blood in the like artery of
a Dog; and eight times greater than the
blood’s force in the fame artery of a fallow
Doe: Which different forces I found by
tying thofe feveral animals down alive upon

their backs; and then laying open the great

left crural artery, where it firft enters the
thigh , I fixed to it (by means of two brafs
pipes, which run one into the other) a glafs
tube of above ten feet long, and th of an
inch diameter in bere: In which tube the
blood of one Horfe rofe eight feet, three in-
ches, and - blood . another Horfe eight

feet,

108 Vegetable Staticks.

feet nine inches. The blood of a little Dog
fix feet and half high: Ina large Spaniel fe-
ven feet high. The blood of the fallow Doe
mounted five feet feven inches.

EXPERIMENT XXXVIL.

Aprit 4th, I fixed three mercurial gages
(Fig. 19.) 4, 6,¢to aVine, on a fouth-eaft
afpecdt, which was so feet long, from the
root tothe endr#. The top of the wall
was 11 -|- + feet high; from to &, 8 fect;
from & toe, 6 feet-+ +; frometo a, 1 foot
-|- 10 inches; from e to 0,7 feet; From oa to
6,5 ++ + feet; from o to ¢, 22 feet 9 inches 5
from 0 to #, 32 feet 9 inches.

The branches to which a and ¢ were fixed
were thriving fhoots two years old, but the
branch e¢ 6 was much older. |

When I firft fixed them, the mercury was
pufhed by the force of the fap, in all the
gages down the legs 4, 5, 13, foastorife nine
inches higher in the other legs.

The next morning at 7 a. m. the mercury
in @ was pufhed 14 -|- j inches high, in 6 12

a ike JX
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Gert *

Vegetable Sratiebs. ' 109

The greateft height to which they pufhed
the fap feverally was ¢ 21 inches, 6 26 inches,
€ 26 inches.

The mercury conftantly fubfided by the
retreat of the fap about 9 or 1o inthe
morning, when the Sun grew hot; but in
a very moift foggy morning the fap was
later before it retreated, vzz.+tiH noon, or
fome time after the fog was gone.

About 4 or 5 a clock in the afternoon,
when the Sun went off the Vine, the fap
began to pufh afrefh into the gages, fo as
to make the mercury rife in the open legs;
but it always rofe fafteft from Sun rife till
9 or 10 inthe morning.

The fap in 6 (the oldeft ftem) plaid the
moft freely to and fro, and was therefore
fooneft affected with the changes from hot
to cool, or from wet to dry, and vice verfa.

And April 10, toward the end of the bleed-
ing feafon, 4 began firft to fuck up the
mercury from 6 to 5, fo as to be 4 inches
higher in that leg than the other. But
April 24, after a night’s rain, 6 pufhed the
mercury 4 inchesup the other leg, @ did not
begin to fuck till April 29, v7z. 9 days after
4;c¢ did not begin to fuck till May 3. viz.

13 days

110 Vegetable Staticks.

13 days after b, and 4 days after 4. May s.
at 7 4. m. @ pufhed 1 inch, ¢1 +4, bue
towards noon they all three fucked. —

I have frequently obferved the fame dif-
ference in other Vines, where the like gages
have been fixed at the fame time, to old
and young branches of the fame Vine, viz.
the oldeft began firft to fuck.

In thisExperiment we fee the great force
of the fap, at 44 feet 3 inches diftance from
the root, equal to the force of acolumnof
water 30 feet 4- 11 inches 4- 4 high.

From this Experiment we fee too, that
this force is not from the root only, but
muft alfo proceed from fome power, in the
fem and branches: For the branch 6 was
much fconer influenced by changes from
warm toe cool, or dry to wet, and vce ver-
fa,than the other two branches 2 ore; and
@ was in an imbibing flate, 9 days before
a, which was all that time in a ftate of pufh-
ing fap; ande¢ pufhed 13 days after @ had
ceafed pufhing, and was in an imbibing
ftate.

Which imbibing ftate Vines and Apple-
trees continue in all the fummer, in every

branch,

Vegetable Staticks. IEE

branch, as I have found by fixing the like
gages to them in July.

EXPERIMENT XXXIX,

March 10, at the beginning of the bleed-
ing feafon, (which is many days fooner or
later, according to the coldnefs or warmth,
moifture or drynefs of the feafon) I then
cut off a branchof a vine b fc g at 6, (Fig. |
20.) which was 3 or 4 years old, and ce-
mented faft on it a brafs-collar, with a
{crew in it; tothatI {crewed another brafs-
collar, which was cemented faft to the glafs
tube, 7 feet long and zinch diam. (which
I find to be the propereft diam.) to that
I {crewed others, to 38 feet height. Thefe
tubes were fafiened and fecurd in long
wooden tubes, 3 inches fquare, one fide of
which was a door opening upon hinges;
the ufe of thofe wooden tubes was to pre-
ferve the glafs tubes from being broke by
the freezing of the fap in them in the
night. But when the danger of hard frofts
was pretty well over, as at the beginning of
April, then I ufually fixt the glafles with-
out the wooden tubes, fattening them to

2 hese | sage | {caffold

112 Vegetable Staticks.
{caffold poles, or twolong iron {pikes drove
into the wall.

Before I proceed to give an account of
the rife and fall of the fap, in the tubes, 1
will firft defcribe the manner of cement-
ing on the brafs-collar 4, to the ftem of the
Vine in which I have been often difappoint-
ed, and have met with difficulties; it mutt
therefore be done with great care.

Where I defign to cut the ftem, I firft
pick off all the rough ftringy bark careful-
ly with my nailsto avoid making any wound
thro’ the green inner bark; thenI cut off
the branch at z, (Fig. 21.) and immediately
draw over the {tem a piece of dried fheeps-
gut, which Itye faft, as near the end of the
ftem as I can, fothat no fap can get by it;
the fap being confined in the gut z f: Then
I wipe the ftemat z very dry witha warm
cloth, and tye round the ftem a ftiff paper
funnel x z, binding it faft at x to the ftem;
and pinning clofe the folds of the paper from
xtoz: Then I flide the brafs collar r over
the gut, and immediately pour into the pa-
per funnel melted brickduft cement, and
then fet the brafs-collar into it; which col-
Jar is warmed, and dipped before in the ce-
ment 3

—

Py ae ey ken hats

Vegetable Statzcks. Ei3

cement, that it may the better now adhere:
When the cement is cold, I pull away the
gut, and {crew on the glafs tubes.

_ But finding fome inconvenience in this
hot cement (becaufe its heat kills the fap
veflels near the bark, as is evident by their
being difcoloured) I have fince made ufe of
the cold cement of Bees-wax and Turpen-
tine, binding ic faft over with wet blad-
der and-packthread, as in E'xper. 34.

Inftead of brafs-collars, which fcrewed
into each other , I often (efpecially with the
Syphons in Exper. 37, and 38.) made ufe
of two brafs-collars, which were turned 4
little tapering, fo that one entered and ex-
actly fitted the other.

This joining of the two collars was ef-
fectually fecured from leaking, by firft a-
nointing them with a foft cement; and
they were fecured from being disjoined, by
the force of the afcending fap, by twifting
pack-thread round the protuberant knobs
on the fides of the collars. When I would
feparate the collars, Ifound it neceffary
(except in hot Sunfhine) to melt the foft
cement by applying hot irons on the out
fide of the collars.

I It

TI4 Vegetable Staticks,

It is needful to fhade all the cemented
joints from the Sun with loofe folds of
paper, elfe its heat, will often melt them,
and fo dilate the cement, as to make it
be drove forcibly up the tube, which de-
feats the Experiment.

The Vines to which the tubes in this Ex-
periment werefixed, were 20 feet high from
the roots to their top; andthe glafs tubes
fixed at feveral heights 6 from the ground,
from-fix to two feet.

The fap would rife in the tube the firt
day, according to the different vigor of the
bleeding ftate of the Vine, either 1, 2, 5,
12,15,0r25 feet; but when it had got to its
greateft height for that day, if it was in the
morning, it would conftantly begin to fub-
fide towards noon.

Ifthe weather was very cool about the
middle of the day, it would fubfide only
from LI or 13, to two in the afternoon;
but if it were very hot weather, the fap
would begin to fubfide at 9 or 10 a clock,
and continue fubfiding till 4, 5, or 6 inthe
evening, and from that time it would con-
tinue ftationary for an hour or two; after
which it would begin to rife a little, bue

not

Vegetable Staticks. IIS

not muchin the night, nor till after the Sun
Was up in the morning, at which time it
rofe fafteft.

The frefher the cut of the Vine was, and
the warmer the weather, the more the fap
would rife, and fubfide in a day, as 4 or 6
feet.

But ifit were 5 or 6 days fince the Vine
was cut, it would rife or fubfide but littles
the fap-veffels at the tranfverfe cut being
faturate and contracted.

But if I cut off a joint or two off the
ftem, and new fixed the tube, the fap would
then rife and fubfide vigoroufly.

Moifture and warmth made the fap mof:
vigorous.

If the beginning or middle of the bleed-
ing feafon being very kindly, had made the
motion of the fap vigorous; that vigour
would immediately be greatly abated by
cold eafterly winds.

If in the morning, while the fap was in
arifing ftate, there was acold wind witha
mixture of funfhine and cloud; when the
Sun was clouded, the fap would immediate-
ly vifibly fubfide, at the rate of.an inch in
a minute for feveral inches, if the Sun con-

M2 tinued

116 Vegetable Staticks,

tinued fo long clouded: Butasfoon as the
Sun-beams broke out again, the fap would
immediately return to its then rifing ftate,
juft as any liquor in a Thermometer rifes
and falls with the alternacies of heat and
cold; whence ‘tis probable, that the plen-
tiful rife of the fap in the Vine in the bleed-
ing feafon is effected in the fame manner.
When three Tubes were fixed at the
fame time to Vines onan eaftern, a fouth-
ern, and a weftern Afpedt, round my porch;
the fap would begin to rife in the morn-
ing, firft in the eaftern-tube, next in the
fouthern, and laf in the weftern-tube : And
towards noon it would accordingly begin
to fubfide, firft in the eaftern-tube, next in the
fouthern, and laft in the weftern-tube.
Where two branches arofe from the fame
old weftern trunk, 15 inches from the
ground; and one of thefe branches was
fpread on a fouthern, and the other on a
weftern Afpect; and glafs-tubes were at the
fame time fixed to each of them; the fap
would inthe morning, asthe Sun came on,
rife firftin the fouthern, then in-the-weftern-
tube ; and would begin-to fubfide, firft in the

fouthern, thenin the weftern-tube.
Rain

Vegetable Staticks. 107

Rain and warmth, after cold and dry,
would make the fap rife all the next day,
without fubfiding, tho’ it would rife then
floweft about noon; becaufe in this
cafe the quantity imbibed bythe roor, and
raifed from it, exceeded the quantity per-
fpired.

The fap begins to rife fooner in the morn.
ig in cool weather, than after hot days;
the reafon of which may be, becaufe in hot
weather much being evaporated, it is not
fo foon fupplied by the roots as in cool wea-
ther, when lefs is evaporated.

In a prinre bleeding feafon I fixt a tube
25 feet long to a thriving branch two years
old, andtwo feet fromthe ground, where
it was cut off; the fap flowed fo briskly,
asin two hours to flow over the top of the
Tube, which was 7 fect above the top of
the Vine ; and doubtlefs would have rifen
higher, if I had been prepared to lengthen
the tube.

When at the diftance of 4 or 5 days,
tubes were affixed to two different branches,
which came from the fame ftem, the fap
would rife higheft in that which was laft fix-
ed; yetif in the fixing the {econd tube there

| 1 3 eS

118 Vegetable Staticks.

was much {ap loft, the fap would fubfide in
thefirfttube; but they would not afterwards
have their fap in Equilibrio; z. e. the furface
of the fap in each was at very unequal heights;
the reafon of whichis, becaufe of the difh-
culty with which the fap paffes thro’ the
almoft faturate and contracted Capillaries
of the firft cut ftem.

In very hot weather many air bubbles
would rife, fo as to make a froth an inch
deep, on the top of the fap in the tube.

I fixt a {mall air Pump to the top of a
long Tube, which had 12 feet height of fap
init; whenI pumped, great plenty of bub-
bles arofe, tho’ the fap did not rife, but fall
a little, after I had done pumping.

In Experiment 34. ( where a Tube was
fixed to a very fhort ftump of a Vine, with-
out any lateral branches) we find the fap
rofe all day, and fafteft of all in the greateft
heat of the day: But by many obfervations
under the 37th and this 38th Experiments,
we find the fap in the tubes conftantly fub-
fided as the warmth came on towards the
middle of the day, and fafteft in the greateft
heat of the day. Whence we may reafon-
ably conclude, (confidering the great per- —

{pitas

Vegetable S: taticks. 119

fpirations of trees, fhewn in the firft chapter)
that the fall of the fap, in thefe fap gages,
in the middle of the day, efpecially in the
warmer days, is owing to the then greater
perfpiration of the branches, which perfpi-
ration decreafes, as the heat decreafes to-
wards evening, and probably wholly ceafes
when the dews fall.

- But when towards the latter end of April,
the {pring advances, and many young fhoots
are come forth, and the furface of the Vine
is greatly increafed, and enlarged by the
expanfion of feveral leaves; whereby the
perfpiration is much increafed, and the fap
more plentifully exhaufted, itthen ceafesto
flow ina vifible manner, till the return of
the following fpring.

Amdsias..in. the,Vine, {01s the cafe the
fame in all the bleeding trees, which ceafe
bleeding as foon asthe young leaves begin to
expand encugh, to perfpire plentifully, and
to draw off the redundant fap. Thus the bark
of Oaks and many other trees moft eafily fe-
parates, while it islubricated with plenty of
fap: But as {oon as the leaves expand {uffici-
ently to perfpire off plenty of fap, the bark
will then nolongerrun (asthey termit) but

acheres moft flumiy to the wood.
De Ex:

120 Vegetable Staticks.
EXPERIMENT XXXIX.

In order to try if I could perceive the
ftem of the Vine dilate and contrat with
heat or cold, wet or dry, a bleeding or not
bleeding feafon, fome time in February, I
fixt to the ftem of a ze an inftrument in
fuch a manner, that if the Stem had dilat-
ed or contracted but the one hundredth
part of an inch, it would have made the
end of the infrument, (which was a picce of
{trong brafs-wire, eighteen inches long) rife
or fall very fenfibly about one tenth of an
inch ; but I could not perceive the inftru-
ment to move, either by heat or cold, a
bleeding ocr not bleeding feafon. Yet
whenever it rained the ftem dilated fo as to
raife the end of the infrument or lever
of an inch; and when the fiem was dry
it fubfided as mitch.

This Expériment fhews, that the fap (even
in the bleeding feafon) is confined in its pros
per vefiels, and that it does not confufedly
pervade every inteérftice of the flem, as the
rain does, which entering at the per{piring
pores, foaks into the intérftices, and thére=
by dilates the ftem.

| CHAP.

Vegetable Statiks. xr

CoH RR): TV,

Experiments, fhewing the ready lateral mo-
tion of the fap, and confequently the late-
ral communication of the fap veffels. The
free paljage of it from the fimall branches
towards the ftem, as well as fromibe ftem
to the branches. With an account of fome
Experiments, relating to the circulation or
non circulation of the fap.

EXPERIMENT XL:

N order to find whether there was any
lateral communication of the fap and
fap veflels, as there is of the blood in a-
nimals, by means of the ramifications, and
lateral communications of their veffels:
Auguft 15th, Itook a young Oak brauch
3 inches diameter, at its tranverfe cut, 6 feet
high, and full of leaves. Seven inches from
the bottom, I cut a large gap to the pith,
an inch long, and of an equal depth the
whole length: And 4 inches above that, on
the oppofite fide, I cut fuch another gap; I
fet the great end of the ftem in water: It
imbibed and perfpired in two nights and two
Gays

122 Vegetable Staticks.

days 13 ounces, while another like oak
branch, fomewhat bigger than this, but with
no notch cut in its ftem, imbibed 25 ounces
of water.

At the fame time I tryed the like Exper.
with a ‘Duke-Cherry branch; it imbibed and
perfpired 23 ounces in 9 hours the firft day,
and the next day 15 ounces.

At the fame time I took another Dyke-
Cherry branch, and cut 4 fuch f{quare gaps
to the pith, 4 inches above each other ; the
1ft North, 2d Eaft, 3d South, 4th Weft: le
had a long flender ftem, four feet length,
without any branches, only at the very top;
yet it imbibed in 7 hours day 9 ounces, and
in two days and two nights 24 ounces.

We feein thefe Experiments a moft free
Jateral communication of the fap and fap
veffels, thefe great quantities of liquor ha.
ving paffed laterally by the gaps; for by
Experiment 13, 14, 15. (on Cylinders of
wood ) little evaporated at the gaps.

And in order to try, whether it would
not be the fame in branches as they grew
on trees, I cut two fuch oppofite gaps ina
Duke-Cherry branch, 3 inches diftant from
each other: The leaves of this branch con-

Pee

Vegetable Staticks. 123

tinued green, within 8 or 10 days, as long
as the leaves on the other branches of the
ganic CCE.

The fame day, viz. Auguft 15th, I cut
two fuch oppofite gaps 4 inches diftant, in
an horizontal young thriving Oak-branch ;
it was 1 inch diameter, 18 days after many
of the leaves begun to turn yellow, which
none of the leaves of other boughs did then.

The fame day I cut off the bark for one
inch length, quite round alike branch of the
fame Oak; 18 days after the leaves were as
green asany onthe fame tree; but the leaves
fell off this and the foregoing branch early
in the winter ; yet continued on all the reft
of the boughs of the tree (except the top
ones) all the winter. |

The fame day I cut four fuch gaps, 2 in-
ches wide, and 9 inches diftant from each
other, in the upright arm of a Golden-Re-
nate tree; the diameter of the branch was
2-+-7 inch, the gaps faced the 4 cardinal
points of the compafs; the apples and leaves
on this branch flourifhed as well as thofe
on other branches of the fame tree.

Here again we fee the very free lateral

paflage
4 |

124 Vegetable Staticks. |
paflage of the fap, where the dire& paffage
is feveral times intercepted.

EXPERIMENT XLT.

Auguft +3. Atnoonl tooka large branch
of an Apple-tree, (Fig. 22.) and cemented
up the tranf{verfe cut, at the great end w, and
tyed a wet bladder over it: I then cut off
the main top branch at 6; where it was ¢
inch diameter, and fet it thus inverted into
the bottle of water 6.

In three days and two nights it ae:
and perfpired 4 pounds -+- 2 ounces ++ ¢
water, and the leaves continued green ; se
leaves of a bough cut off the fame tree at
the fame time with this, and not fet in
water, had been withered 40 hours before.
This, as well as the great quantities imbibed
and perfpired, fhews, that the water was
drawn from 6 moft freely to e, fg, 4, and
from thence down their refpedtive branches,
and fo perfpired off by the leaves.

This Paes may ferve to explain the
reafon, why the branch 4, ( Fig. 23.) which
grows out of the root ¢ x, thrives very well,
7 notwith-

LZZZZZZZ

1 Seaosppealometi a kan —
f oe
oe
rots

Vegetable Staticks. 125

notwithftanding the root ¢ x is here fup-
pofed to be cut off at ¢, and to be out of
the ground: For by many Experiments in
the firft and fecond chapters, it is evident,
thar the branch @ attrad&s fap at x with
great force: And by this prefent Experi-
ment, ’tis as evident, that fap will be drawn
as freely downwards from the tree tow, as
from c tox, in cafe the end ¢ of the root
were in the ground; whence ‘tis no won-
der, that the branch 6 thrives well, tho’
there be no circulation of the fap.

This Experiment 41, and Experiment 26,
do alfo fhew the reafon why, where thefe
trees (Fig.24) are inarched, and thereby
incorporated at x and 2, the middle tree
will then grow, tho’ it be.cut off from its
roots; or the root be dug out of the ground,
and fufpended in the air; wzz. becaufe:the
middle tree 4 attraéts nourifhment ftrongly
at x and g, from the adjoyning trees ac, in
the fame manner as we fee the inverted
boughs imbibed water in thefe Exper. 26,
and 41,

And from ‘the fame reafon it is that El-
ders, Sallows, Willows, -Briars, Wines, and

4. moft

126 Vegetable Staticks.

moft Shrubs will grow in an inverted ftate,
with their tops downwards in the earth.

EXPERIMENT XLII.

Fuly 27th, I repeated Monfieur Perault’s
Experiment, vz. I took Duke Cherry, Ap-
ple and Curran-Boughs, with two branches
each, one of whichac (Fig. 25.) Ll immer-
fed in the large veffel of watered, the o-
ther branch hanging in the open air: I hung
on a rail, at the fame time, other branches
of the fame forts, which were then cut off.
After three days, thofe on the rails were very
much withered and dead, but the branches
6 were very green; in 8 days the branch 6
of the ‘Duke-Cherry was much withered ;
but the Currans and Apple-branch 6 did not
fade till the eleventh day : Whence ‘tis plain,
by the quantities that muft be perfpired in
eleven days, to keep the leaves 4 green fo
long, and by the wafte of the water, out of
the veffel, that thefe boughs 6 muft have
drawn much water, from and thro’ the o-
ther boughs and leaves ¢, which were im-

merfed in the veflel of water.
| I re-

er ig es ee oY i
Nn Do ne tom A i prigk Lal psa Silent ecene inp ae ie

Ai
} 4

Vegetable Staticks. 127

I repeated the like Experiment on the
branches of Vines and Apple-trees, by run-
ning their boughs as they grew into large
glafs chymical retorts full of water, where
the leaves continued green for feveral weeks,
and imbibed confiderable quantities of water.

This fhews how very probable it is, that
rain and dew is imbibed by vegetables, efpe-
cially in dry feafons.

Which is further confirmed by Experi-
ments lately made on new planted trees;
where by frequently wafhing the bodies
of the moft unpromifing, they have out-ftrip-
ped the other trees of the fame plantation.

And Mr. Miller advifes “ Now and then
-& in an evening to water the head, and with

<¢ a brufh to wafh and fupple the bark all
—& yound the trunk, which (fayshe) Ihave
«<< often found very ferviceable.” Supplement
to his Gardener's DiGtionary, Vol. II. under
Planting.

ExPERIMENT XLIII.

Auguft 20th at 1 p.m. I took an Apple-
branch 6, (Fig. 26.) nine feet long, 1 -+-
¢ inch diameter, with proportional lateral

branches,

128 Vegetable Staticks. |
branches, I cemented it faft to the tube g _
by means of the leaden Syphon /: But firft
I cut away the bark, and Jaft year’s ringlet of
wood, for 3 inches length tor. I then fil- |
led the tube with water, which was 12 feet ©
long, and } inch diameter, having firft cut —
agap at y thro’the bark, and laft year’s wood,
z2 inches from the lower end of the ftem:
the water was very freely imbibed, vze. at
the rate of 3 -+ 4 inches in a minute. In
half and‘hour'stime I could plainly perceive
the lower part of the gap y to be moifter
than before; when, at the fame time, the up-
per part of the wound looked white and dry.
Now inthis cafe the water muft neceffa-
rily afeend from the tube, thro’ the inner-
moft wood, becaufe the laft year’s wood was
cut away, for 3 inches length all round the
ftem; and confequently, if the fap in its na-
tural courfe defcended by the laft year’s ring-
let of wood, and between that and the bark
(as many have thought) the water fhould
have defcended by the laft.year’s wood,or the
bark, and fo have firft moiftened the upper
‘part of the gap y; but on the contrary, the
lower part was moiften’d, and not the upper
part.
| Tre

Vegetable Staticks. 129

I repeated this Experiment with a large
Duke-Cherry branch, but could not perceive
more moifture at the upper, than the lower
part of the gap, which ought to have been,
if the fap defcends by the laft year’s wood
or the bark.

It was the fame in a Quince-branch as
the “Duke Cherry.

N. B. When I cut a notch in either of
thefe branches, 3 feet abover, at gq, I could
neither fee nor feel any moifture, notwith-
ftanding there was at the fame time a great
quantity of water pailing by ; forthe branch
imbibed at the rate of 4, 3 or 2 inches per
minute, of a column of water which was
half inch diameter.

The reafon of which drynefs of the notch
g is evident from Experiment 11, vz.
becaufe the upper part of the branch above
the notch imbibed and perfpired 3 or 4
pines more. water,’ than a column of 7
feet height of water in the tube could im-
pell from the botrom of the ftem to Y>
which was 3 feet length of ftem; and con-
fequently, the notch muft neceflarily be
dry, notwithftandine fo large a ftream of
water was pafling by ; viz. becaufe the branch

K : and

130 Vegetable Staticks.
and ftem above the notch was ina flrongly

imbibing flate, in order to fupply the great
perfpiration of the leaves.

EXPERIMENT XLIV.

luguft othat 10 4. m. I fix’d in the fame
manner (as in the ‘foregoing Experiment)
aDuke.Cherry branch 5 fect high, andi inch
diameter, but did not cut away any of the
bark or wood at the great end; I filled the
tube with water, and then cut a flice off the
bark an inch long, 3 inches above the great
end ; it bled at the lower part moit freely,
while the upper part continued dry.

The fame day I tryed the fame Experi-
ment on an App/le-branch, and it had the
fame effec.

Fromthefe Experiments ’tis probabie that
the fap afcends between the bark and wood,
as well as by other parts.

And fince by other Experiments it is found
that the greateft part of the fap is raifed by
the warmth of the Sun on the leaves, which |
feem to be made broad and thin for. that |
purpofe ; for the fame reafon, it's moft pro- |
bable, it fhould rife alfo in thofe parts |

fs wa which

Vegetable Staticks. 131

which are moft expofed to the Sun, as the
bark ts.

And when we confider, that the fap vef-
fels are fo very fine, as to reduce the {2p al-
moft toa vapour, before it can enter them,
the Sun’s warmth on the bark fhould moft
eafily difpofe fuch rarified fap to afcend,
inftead of defcending.

EXPERIMENT XLY.

Fuly 27th, took feveral branches of Cur-
rans, Vines, Cherry, Apple, Pear and Plum-
tree, and fet the great ends of each in veffels
of water x, (Fig. 31.) but firft took the bark |
for an inch off one of the branches, as at s,
to try whether the leaves above 2 at 6
would continue green longer than the leaves
of any.of the other branches 4, c, 7; but I
could find no difference, the leaves wither-
ing all at the fame time: Now, if the re-
turn of the fap was ftopped at g, then it
would be expected, that rhe leaves at fhould
continue gercen, longer than thofe on the o-
ther branches, which did not happen, neither
was there any moifture at =.

Ks 3 EXPE-

ra 2 Vegetable Staticks.

#

EXPERIMENT XLVI

In Auguft, 1 cut off the bark for an inch
round, of a young thriving Oak-branch, on
the North-Weft fide of the tree. The leaves
of this and another branch, which had the
bark cut at the fame time, fell early, vzz.
about the latter end of Odfeber, when the
leaves of all the other branches of the fame
tree, except thofe at the very top of the
tree, continued on all the winter.

This is a further proof, that lefs fap goes
to branches which have the bark cut off,
than to others.

The roth of Apr following, the buds of
this branch were 5 or 7 days forwarder than
thofe of other branches of the fame tree;
the reafon of which may probably be, be-
_ caufe lefs frefh crude fap coming to this
branch than the others, and the per{pirati-
ons in all branches being ceteris paribus
nearly equal, the leffer quantity of fap in
this branch muft fooner be infpiflated into
a glutinous fubfiance, fit for new produc-
tions, than the fap of other branches, that

abounded

Vegetable Staticks. 133

abounded with a greater plenty of freth thin
fap.

The fame is the reafon why Apples,
Pears, and many other fruits, which have
fome of their great fap veffels eaten afunder
by infects bred in them, are ripe many days
before the reft of the fruit on the fame trees ;
As alfo that fruit, which is gathered fome
time before it is ripe, will ripen fooner than
if it had hung on the tree, tho’ it will not
be fo good; becaufe inthefe cafes the worm-
eaten frnit is deprived of part of its nourifh-
ment, and the green gathered fruit of all.

And for the fame reafon fome fruits are
fooner ripe towards the tops of the trees,
than the other fruit on the fame tree ; vz.
not only, becaufe they are more expofed to
the fun; but alfo, becaufe being at a greater
diftance from the root, they have fome-
what lefs nourifhment.

And this is, doubtlefs, one reafon why
plants and fruits are forwarder in dry, fandy
or gravelly foils, than in moifter foils; vzz.
not only, becaufe thofe foils are warmer
on account of their drynefs; but alfo, be-
caufe lefs plenty of moifture is conveyed up
the plants; which plenty of moifiure, tho

K 3 it

134 | Vegetable Staticks.

ic promotes their growth, yet retards their
coming to maturity. And for the fame
reafon, the uncovering the roots of trees
for fome time, will make the fruit be confi-
derally the forwarder.

And on the other hand, where trees a-
bound with too great a plenty of frefh drawn
fap, as is the cafe of trees whofe roots are
planted too deep in cold moilft earth, as
alfo of too luxuriant Peach and other
Wall trees; or which comes almoft to the
fame, where the fap cannet be perfpired of
in a due proportion ; asin Orchards, where
trees ftand too hear each other, fo as to hin-
cer per{piration, whereby the fap is kept in
too thin and crude a flate; in all thefe caies
little or no fruit is produced.

Hence alfo in moderately dry fummers,
céteris paribus, there is ufually greateft plenty
of fruit; becaufe the fap in the bearing
twigs and buds is more digefted, and brought
to a better confiftence, for fhooting out with
vigour and firmne(fs, than it is in cool moift
fummers: And this obfervation has been
verified in the years 1723, 1724, and 1725,
See an account of them under it. Axp. 20.

But

Vegetable Staticks. 135

But to return to the fubject of the mo-
tion of the fap; when the fap has firft pafied
thro’ that thick and fine firainer, the bark of
the root, we then find it in greateft quanti-
ties, in the moft lax part, between the bark
and wood, and ¢/at the fame thro’ the whole
fee. And if in the early {pring,; the Oak
and feveral cther trees were to be examined
near the cop and bottom, when the fap firft
begins to move, fo as to make the bark ea-
fily ran, or peel off, I believe it would be
found, that the lower bark is firii moiftened ;
whereas the bark of the top branches ought
firft to be moiftened, if the fap defcends by
the bark: As tothe Vine, I am pretty well
aflured that the lower bark is firft moifened.

We fee in many of the foregoing Expe-
riments, what quantitics of moifture trees
do daily imbibe and perfpire: Now the ce-
lerity of the fap muft be very great, if that
quantity of moifture muf,; moft of it, af
cend to the top oi the tree, then defcend,
and afcend again, before it is carried off by
per{piration.

The defe& of a Fe Ones iil vegetables
feems in fome meafure to be applied by
the much greater quantity of liquor, which

K 4. the

136 Vegetable Staticks.

the vegetable takes in, than the animal,
whereby its motion is accelerated; for by Ex-
periment ft, we find the Sunflower, bulk
for bulk, imbibes and perfpires 17 times
more frefh liquor than a man every 24 hours.

Befides, nature's great aim in vegetables
being only that the vegetable life be carried
on and maintained , there was no occafion
to give its fap the rapid motion, which was
neceflarv for the blood of animals.

In animals, it is the heart which fets the
blood in motion, and makes it centinually
circulate ; but in vegetables, we can difco-
ver no other caufe of the fap’s motion, but
the ftrong attra@ion of the capillary fap
veffels, aflifted by the brisk undulations and
vibrations, caufed by the fun’s warmth, where-
by the fap is carried up to the top of the
talieft trees, and is there perfpired off thro”
the leaves : But when the furface of the tree
is greatly diminifhed by the lo{s of its leaves,
then alfo the perfpiration and motion of the
fap is proportionably diminifhed, as is plain
from many of the foregoing Experiments:
So that the afcending velocity of the fap is
principally accelerated by the plentiful per-
{piration of the leaves, thereby making room

for

Vegetable Staticks. t37
for the fine capillary veflels to exert their
vaftly attracting power, which perfpiration
is effected by the brisk rarifying vibrations
of warmth: A power that does not feem
to be any ways weil adapted, to make the
fap defcend from the tops of vegetables by
different veffels to the root.

If the fap circulated, it muft needs have
been feen defcending from the upper part
of large gafhes, cut in branches, fet in wa-
ter, and with columns of water prefling on
their bottomsin long glafstubes, in Exp. 43,
and 44. In both which cafes, it is certain
that great quantities of water paffed thro’
the item, fo that it muft needs have been
feen defcending, if the return of the fap
downwards were by trufion or pulfion,
whereby the blood in animals is returned
thro’ the veins to the heart: And that pul-
fion, if there were any, muft neceffarily be
exerted with prodigious force, to be able
to drive the fap thro’ the finer capillaries,
So that if there be areturn of the fap down-
wards, it muft be by attraction, and that
a very powerful onc, as we may {ce by many

f thefe Experiments, and particularly by
Experiment 11. But it is hard to conceive,
what

138 Vegetable Staticks.

wnat and where that power is which can
be equivaicnt to that provifion nature has
has made for the afcent of the fap in confe-
quence of the great perfpiration of the leaves,

The inftances of the Jeffamine tree, and
of the Paflion tree, have been looked up-
on as rong proofs of the circulation of the
fap, becaufe their branches, which were far
below the inoculated Bud, were gilded :
But we have many vilible proofsin the Vine
and other biceding trees of the fap’s reced-
ing back, and pufhing forwards alternately,
at different times of the day and night. And
there is great reafon to think, that the fap
of all other trees has fuch an alternate, re-
ceding and progreilive motion, occafioned
by the alternacies of day and night, warm
and cool, moift and dry.

For the fap in all vegetables does proba-
bly recede in fome meafure from the tops
of branches, as the Sun leaves them; be-
caufe its rarifying power then ceafing, the
ereatly rarified fap, and air mixt with it,
will condenfe and take up lefs room than
they did, and the dew and rain will then
be firongly imbibed by the leaves, as is pro-
bable from Exper. 42, and feveral others;

whereby

Vegetable Staticks. 139

whereby the body and branches of the ve-
getable which have been much exhaufted by
the great evaporation of the day, may at
night imbibe fap and dew from the leaves;
for by feveral Experiments in the firft chap-
ter, plants were found to increafe confider-
ably in weight, in dewy and moift nights.
And by other Experiments on the Vine in
the third chapter, it was found, that the
trunk.and-branches of Vines wese always
in an imbibing flate, caufed by the great pez-
{piration of the leaves, except in the bleed-
ing feafon; but when at night that perfpir-
ing power ceafes, then the contrary imbib-
ing power will prevail and draw tne fap
and dew from the leaves, as well as moifture
from the roots.

And we have a further proof of this ia
Experiment 12, where by fixing mercurial
gages to the flems of feveral trees, which
do not bleed, it is found, that they are al-
ways in a ftrongly imbibing fate, by draw-
ing up the mercury feveral inches: Whence
it is cafic to conceive, how fome of the par-
ticles of the gilded Bud, in the inoculated
Jeflamine, may be abforbed by it, and there-
by communicate their gilding Miafma to the

a fap

140 Vegetable Staticks. 4
fap of other branches; efpecially when fome
months after the inoculation, the ftock of
the inoculated Jeffamine is cut off a lit-
tle above the Bud; whereby the ftock,
which was the counter ating part to the ~
ftem, being taken way, the ftem attraGts —
more vigoroufly from the Bud.

Another argument for the circulation of
the fap, is, that fome forts of graffs will
infe& and canker the ftocks they are grafted
on: But by Exper. 12 and 37, where mer-
curial gages were fixed to frefh cut ftems of
trees, it is evident, that thofe ftems were
in a ftrongly imbibing ftate; and confe-
quently the cankered ftocks might very like-
ly draw fap from the graff, as well as the
graff alternately from the ftock; juftin the
fame manner as leaves and branches do
from each other, in the viciflitudes of day
and night. And this imbibing power of the
ftock is fo great, where only fome of the
branches of a tree are grafted, that the re-
maining branches of the ftock will, by their
firong attraction, flarve thofe grafts; for
which reafon it is ufual to cut off the great-
eft part of the branches of the ftock, leav-

ing

Vegetable Staticks. I4t
ing only a few {mall ones to draw up the
fap.

The inftance of the Ilex grafted upon the
Englifo Oak, feems to afford a very con-
‘fiderable argument againfta circulation. For
if there were a free uniform circulation of
the fap thro’the Oak and Ilex, why fhould
the leaves of the Oak fallin winter, and not
thofe of the Ilex?

Another argument, againft a uniform cir-
culation of the fap in trees as in animals,
may be drawn from Exper. 37. where it
was found by the three mercurial gages fixt
to the fame Vine, that while fome of its
branches changed their ftate of protruding
fap into a ftate of imbibing, others con-
tinued protruding fap, one nine, and the
other thirteen days longer.

In the fecond Vol. of Mr. Lowthor ry’s
Abridgment of the Philof: Tranfac. p. 708.
is becied an Experiment of Mr. Brother-
ton’s, viz. A young Hazel nw, Fig. 27, was
cut into the body at xz witha deep gafh;
the parts of the body below art z, and a-
bove at x, were cleft upwards and down-
wards, and the fplinters x 2 by wedges were
kept off from touching each other, or the

4. reft

IA2 Vegetable Staticks.

reft of the body. The following year, the

upper {plinter « was grown very much, but
the lower fplinter = did not grow, but the
reft of the body grew,as if there had been no
gafh made: I have not yet fucceeded in ma-
king this Experiment, the wind having
broken at x & all the trees I prepared for
it: But if there wasa Bud at x which thot
out leaves, and none at &, then by Exper.
41. “tis plain, that thofe leaves might draw
much nourifhment thro ¢ x, and thereby
make it grow; andI believe, if, vice verfa,
there were a leaf bearing Bud at s, and none
at x, thar then the fplinter = would grow
more than x.

The reafon of my conjecture, I ground
upon this Experiment, vzz. 1 chofe two
thriving fhoots of a dwarf Pear-tree i / aa.
Fig. 28,29. At three quarters of an inch
diftance I took half an inch breadth of bark
off each of them, in feveral places, viz.
2, 4, 6, 8, and. at ro, 12, L4.. every one of
the remaining ringlets of bark had a leaf

bearing bud, which produced leaves the fal-

lowing fummer, except the ringlet 13, which
had no fuch Bud, The ringler 9 and rr
ef aa grew and fwelled at their bottoms,

till

Vegetable Staticks. 143
till Auguf?, but the ringlet 13 did not in-
creafeatall, and in Jaguft the whole fhoog
4awithered and dyed; but the fhoot //,
lives and thrives well, each of its ringlets
{welling much at the bottom: Which fwel.-
lings at their bottoms muft be attributed
to fome other caufe than the floppage of
the fap in its return downwards, becaufe in
the fhoot //, its return downwards is in-
tercepted three feveral times by cutting a-
way the bark at 2,4, 6. The larger and
more thriving the leaf bearing Bud was, and
the more leaves it had on it, fo much the
more did the adjoining bark fwell at the
bottom.

_ Fig. 30. Reprefents the profile of one of the
divifions in Fig, 28. fplitin halves, in which
may be feen the manner of the growth of
the laft year’s ringlet of wood fhooting a lit-
tle upwards at x «; and fhooting down-
wards and {welling much more at = 33
where we may obferve, that what is fhot
endways, is plainly parted from the wood
of the preceding year, by the narrow in-
terftices x 7, 27, whence it fhould feem,
that the growth, of the yearly new ringlets

of

144 Vegetable Staticks.
of wood confifts in the fhooting of their fi-
bres lengthways under the bark.

That the fap does not defcend between the
bark and the wood, as the favourers of a cir-
culation fuppofe, feems evident from hence,
viz. that if the bark be taken off for 3 or
4. inches breadth quite round, the bleeding of
the tree above that bared place will much
abate, which ought to have the contrary
effect, by intercepting the courfe of the re-
fluent fap, if the fap defcended by the bark.

But the reafon of the abatement of the
bleeding in this cafe may well be account-
ed for, from the manifeft proof we have
in thefe Experiments, that the fap is ftrong-
ly attracted upwards by the vigorous opera-
tion of the perfpiring leaves, and attracting
Capillaries: But when the bark is cut off
for fome breadth below the bleeding place,
then the fap, which is between the bark and
the wood below that disbarked place, is
deprived of the ftrong attragting power of
the leaves, gc. and confequently the bleed-
ing wound cannot be fupplied fo faft with
fap, as it was before the bark was taken off.

Hence alfo we have a hint for a probable
conjecture why in the alternately disbarked

oe fticks,

Vegetable Staticks. 145
fticks, 77 aa Fig. 28, 29. the bark fwelled
more at the upper part of the disbarked
places than at the lower, vzz. becaufe thofe
lower parts were thereby deprived of the
plenty of nourifhment which was brought
to the upper parts of thofe difabled places,
by the firong attra@tion of the leaves on
the Buds 7, ¢c. of which we have a fur-
ther confirmation in the ringlet of bark
New T3 Fic. .20: which ringlet did not fwell
or grow at either end, being not only de-
prived of the attraction of the fuperior leaves,
by the bared placed N°. 13. but alfo with-
out any leaf Bud ofits own, whofe branch-
ing fap Veflels, being like thofe of other leaf
Buds rooted downwards in the wood, might
thence draw fap, for the nourifhment of its
felf and the adjoining bark N°. 13. But had
thefe rooting fap veflels run upwards, in-
ftead of downwards, ’tis probable, that in
that cafe the upper part of each ringlet of
bark, andnot the lower, would have fwelled,
by having nourifhment thereby brought to
it from the inmoft wood.

We may hence alfo fee the reafon why,
when a tree is unfruitful, it is brought to
bear fruit, by the taking ringlets of bark off

L from

146 Vegetable Staticks,

from its branches, vzz. becaufe thereby a
Iefs quantity of fap arifing, it is better di-
digefted and prepared for the nourifhment
of the fruit; which from the greater quan-
tity of oil, that is ufually found in the feeds,
and their containing veffels, than in other
parts of plants, fhews that more fulphur and
air is requifite for their produétion, than there
is for the production of wood and leaves.

But the moft confiderable objection a-
gainft this progreflive motion of the fap,
without a circulation, arifes from hence, viz.
that it is too precipitate a courfe, for a due
digeftion of the fap, in order to nutrition :
Whereas in animals nature has provided,
that many parts of the blood fhall run a
long courfe, before they are either applied
to nutrition, or difcharged from the animal.

But when we confider, that the great
work of nutrition, in vegetables as well as
animals, (I mean after the nutriment is got
into the veins and arteries of animals) is chief-
ly carricd on in the fine capillary veffels,
where nature felects and combines, as fhall
beft fuit her different purpofes, the feveral
mutually attracting nutritious particles, which
were hitherto kept disjoined by the motion

of

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sie : i —=

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SSN

RR RS

Vegetable Staticks. 147

of their fluid vehicle; we fhall find that
nature has made an abundant provifion
for this work in the ftructure of vegetables ;
all whofe compofition is made up of no-
thing elfe but innumerable fine capillary
veffels, and glandulous portions or veiicles.

Upon the whole, Ithink we have, from
thefe experiments and obfervations, fuflici-
ent ground to believe that there is no circu-
lation of the fap in vegetables ; notwith-
ftanding many ingenious perfons have been
induced to think there was, from feveral cu-
rious obfervations and experiments, which
evidently prove, that the fap does in fome
meafure recede from the top towards the
lower parts of plants, whence they were
with good probability of reafon induced to
think that the fap circulated.

The likelieft method effe€tually and con-
Vincingly to determine this difficulty, whe-
ther the {ap circulates or not, would be by
ocular infpection, if that could be attained:
And I fee no reafon we have ta defpair of
it, fince by the great quantities imbibed and
perfpiced, we have good ground to think,
that the progreflive motion of the fap is
confiderable in the largeft fap veflels of

lL 2 the

148 Vegetable Staticks.

the tranfparent ftems of leaves: And if our
eyes, aflifted with microfcopes, could come
at this defirable fight, I make no doubt,
but that we fhould fee the fap, which was
progreflive in the heat of the day, would on
the coming on of the coo] evening, andthe
falling dew be retrograde in the fame veffels.

CHa aN

Experiments, whereby to prove, that a con-
fiderable quantity of air is infpired by
Plants.

T is well known that air is a fine ela-
{tick fluid, with particles of very diffe-
rent natures floating init, whereby it is ad-
mirably fitted by the great author of nature,
to be the breath of life, of vegetables, as
well as of animals, without which they can

no more live, nor thrive than animals can.
In the Experiments on Vines, chapter III.
we faw the very great quantity of air, which
Was continually afcending from the Vines,
thro’ the fap in the tubes ; which manifeftly
fhews what plenty of it istaken in by vegeta-
bles, and is perfpired off with the fap thro’
the leaves. |
EXPE-

VY egetable Staticks. 149

EXPERIMENT XLYII.

Sept. oth, ato a. m. I cemented an Apple-
branch 6 (Fig. 11.) to the glafs tube rz
ez: 1 put no water in the tube, but fet the
end of it in the ciftern of water x. Three
hours after I found the water fucked up in
_the tube many inches to 2; which fhews,
that a confiderable quantity of air was im-
bibed by the branch; out of the tube rzez:
And in like manner did the Apricock-
branch (Exper. 29.) daily imbibe air.

EXPERIMENT XLVIIL.

I took a cylinder of Birch with the bark
on, 16 inches long and 4 diameter, and ce-
mented it faft at 2; (Fig. 32.) to the hole
in the top of the air pump receiver p p,
fetting the lower end of it in the ciftern
of water x; the upper end of it at 2 was
well clofed up with melted cement.

I then drew the air out of the receiver,
upon which innumerable air bubbles iffued
continually out of the ftick into the wa--
ter x. I kept the receiver exhaufted all that

L 3 day,

150 Vegetable Staticks.

day, and the following night, and till the
next day at noon, the air all the while if-
fuing into the water x: I continued it thus
long in this ftate, that I might be well af
fured, that the air muft pafs in thro’ the
bark, to fupply that great and long flux of
air at x. I then cemented up 5 old eyes in
the ftick, between sg and m, where little
fhoots had formerly been, but were now pe-
rifhed, yet the air ftill continued to flow
freely, at 4:

It was obfervable in this, and many of
the Experiments on flicks of other trees,
that the air which could enter only thro
the bark between = and z, did not iffue in-
to the water, at the bottom of the flick,
only at or near the bark, but thro’ the whole
and inmoft fubftance of the wood, and that
chiefly, as I guefs by the largenefs of the
bafes of the hemifpheres of air thro’ the
largeft veffels of the wood; which obfer-
vation corroborates Dr. Grew’s and Mal-
pight’s opinion, that they are air veffels.

I then cemented upon the receiver the
cylindrical glafs y y,.and filled it full of wa-
ter, fo as to ftand an inch above the top #%
of the flick

The

Vegetable Staticks. I§t

The air ftill continued to flow. at x, but
in an hour’s time it very much abated, and
in two hours ceafed quite; there being now
no paflage for frefh air to enter, and fupply
what was drawn out of the ftick.

I then, with a glafs crane drew off the
water out of the cylinder 7 y, yet the air did
not iffue thro’ the wood at wx.

I therefore took the receiver with the
ftick in it, and held ic near the fire, till the
bark was well dryed; after which I fet it
upon the air pump, and exhaufted the air,
upon which the air iffued as freely at » as
it did before the bark had been wetted, and
continued foto do, tho’I kept the receiver
exhaafted for many hours.

I fixed in the fame manner, as the pre-
ceding Birch ftick, three joynts of a Vine
branch, which was two years old, the upper-
moft knotr being within the receiver; when
I pumped the air paffed moft freely intothe |
water x x.

I cemented faft the upper end of the ftick
and then pumped, the air ftill iffued out at x,
tho’ I pumped very long, but there did not
‘now pafs the!2oth part of the air which
paffed when the end 2 was not cemented.

4 I then

Y pz Vegetable Staticks.

Ithen inverted the ftick, placing # fix in-
ches deep in the water, and covered all the
bark from the furface of the water to g
the top of the receiver with cement; then
pumping the air which entered at the top of
the flick, pafled thro’ the immerfed part of
the bark: When I ceafed pumping for fome
time, and the air had ceafed iffuing out;
upon my repeating the pumping it would
again iffue out.

I found the fame event in Bérch and
Mulberry fiicks, in both which it ifflued moft
plentifully at old eyes, as if they were the
chief breathing places for trees.

And Dr. Grew obferves, that ‘“ the pores
‘are {o very large in the trunks of fome
< plants, as in the better fort of thick walk-
ing canes, that they are vilible to a good
eye, without a glafs; but with a glafs the
cane feems as if it were fltuck top full
of holes, with great pins, being fo large
as very well to refemble the pores of the
¢ skin, in the end of the fingers and ball
“ of the hand.

“ In the leaves of Pine they are like-
‘ wiic, through a glafs, a very elegant fhew,
‘ flanding all moft exactly in rank and file,

| | | « thro’

Vevetable Staticks. 153
« thro’ the length of the leaves.” Grew’s
Anatomy of Plants. p. 127.

Whence it is very probable, that the air
freely enters plants, not only with the prin-
cipal fund of nourifhment by the roots,
but alfo thro’ the furface of their trunks and
leaves, efpecially at night, when they are
changed from a_ perfpiring to a ftrongly
imbibing ftate. :

I fix’d in the fame manner to the top of
the air pump receiver, but without the cy-
lindrical glafsyy, the young fhoots of the
Vine, Apple-tree and Honyfuckle, both e-
rected and inverted, but found little or no
air came cither frombranches or leaves, ex-
cept what air lay in the furrows, and the
innumerable little pores of the leaves, which
are plainly vifible with the microfcope. I
tryed alfo the fingle leaf of a Yzue, both by
immoerfing the leaf in the water x, and let-
ting the ftalk ftand out of the receiver, as.
alfo by placing the leaf out of the receiver,
and the ftalk in the glafs of water x; but
little or no air came either way.

I obferve in all thefe Experiments, thar
the air enters very flowly at the bark of young
fhoots and branches, but much more frecly

thro’

154 Vegetable Staticks.

thro’ old bark: And in different kinds of
trees it has very different degrees of more
or lefs free entrance.

I repeated the fame Experiment upon fe-
veral roots of trees: The air paffed mof
freely from # to x; and when the glafs vef-
fel y y was full of water, and there was no
waterin x, the water paffed at the rate of
3 ounces in 5 minutes; when the upper
end # was cemented up, and no water in y y,
fome air, tho’ not in great plenty, would
enter the bark at 2 f, and pafs thro’ the wa-
ter atx.

And that there is fome air both in an
elaftick and unelaftick ftate, mix’d with the
earth, ( which may well enter the roots with
the nourifhment) I found by putting into
the inverted glafs = 24a full of water
(Fig. 35.) fome earth dug up in an alley in
the garden, which after it had ftood foak-
ing for feveral days, yielded a little elaftick
air, tho the earth was not half diffolved.
And in Experiment 68. we find that a cu-
Dick inch of earth yielded 43 cubick in-
ches of air by diftillation, a good part of
which was roufed by the action of the fire
irom a fix’d to an claftick flate.
: I fixed

3

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Analyfis of the Aur. 15s

I fixed alfo in the fame manner young
tender fibrous roots, with the {mall end
upwards at #, and the veffel y y full of wa-
ter; then upon pumping large drops of wa-
ter followed each other faft, and fell into
the ciftern x, which had no water in it,

]
.
.

Con Ae NE

A fpecimen of an attempt to analyze the Air
by a great variety of chymio-ftatical Ex-
periments, whith fhew in how great a pro-
portion Air is wrought into the coupofi-
tion of animal, vegetable, and mineral
Subftances, and withal how readtly it re-
fumes its former elaftick ftate, when in the
diffolution of thofe Subftances it is difin-
gaged from them.

AVING in the preceding chapter

produced many Experiments, to prove
that the Air is freely infpired by. Vegetables,
not only at their roots, but alfo thro’ {e-
veral parts of their trunks and branches, which
Air was moft vifibly {een afcending in great
plenty thro’ the fap of the Vine, in tubes
which were afhxed to them in the bleeding
feafon ; this put me upon making a more
: 3 parti.

156 LAnalyfis of the Aur.
particular inquiry into the nature of'a Fluid,
which is fo abfolutely neceflary for the fup-
port of the life and growth of Animals and
Vegetables.

The excellent Mr. Boyle made many
Experiments on the Air, and among other
difcoveries, found that a good quantity of
Air was producible from Vegetables, by put-
ting Grapes, Plums, Goofeberries, Cher-
ries, Peafe, and feveral other forts of fruits
and grains into exhaufted and unexhaufted
receivers, where they continued for feveral

ays emitting great quantities of Air.

Being defirous to make fome further re-
fearches into this matter, and to find what
proportion of this Air I could obtain out
of the different fubftances, in which it was
lodged and incorporated, I made the follow-
ing chymio-fiatical .Experiments:: For as;

dvance has here been made in

he knowledge of the nature of Vegetables,
has been owing to ftatical Experiments, fo
fince nature, in all her operations, acts con-
formably to thofe mechanick laws, which
were efiablifhed at her firft inftitution ; it is
therefore reafonable to conclude, that the
ikelielt way to enquire, by chymical ope-
rations,

=

EY narcey cr a

Analyfis of the Air. 157

rations, into the nature of a fluid, too fine
to be the obje& of our fight, muft be by
finding out fome means to eftimate what
influence the ufual methods of analyfing
the animal, vegetable and mineral kingdoms,
has on that fubtile fluid; and this I effected
by affixing to retorts and boltheads hydro-
ftatical gages in the following manner, vz.
In order to make an eftimate of the quan-
tity of Air, which arofe from any body by
diftillation or fufion, I firft put the matter
which I intended to diftill into the {mall re-
tort r (Fig. 33.) and then at a2 cemented
faft to it the glafs veflela 6, which was very
capacious at 6, with a hole in the bottom.
I bound bladder over the cement which was
made of tobacco-pipe clay and bean flower,
well mixed with fome hair, tying over all
four {mall fticks, which ferved as {plinters
to ftrengthen the joynt; fometimes, inftead
of the glafs veffel 2 6, I made ufe of a large
bolthead, which had around hole cut, with
a red hot iron ring at the bottom of it;
through which hole was put one Ieg of an
inverted fyphon, which reached up as far
as z. Matters being thus prepared, holding
the retort uppermoft, I immerfed the bolt-
head

158 Analyfis of the. Atv.

head into a large veffel of water, to a the
top of the bolthead; as the water rufhed in
at the bottom of the bolthead, the Air was
driven out thro’ the. fyphon : When the
bolthead was full of water to zs, then I clofed
the outward orifice of the fyphon with the
end of my finger, and at the fame time drew
the other leg of it out of the bolthead, by
which means the water continued up to 2,
and could not fubfide. Then I placed under
the bolthead, while it was in the water, the
veffel x x, which done, I lifted the veffel x x
with the bolthead in it out of the water,
and tyed a waxed thread at & to mark the
height of the water: And then approached
the retort gradually to the fire, taking care
to fcreen the whole bolthead from the heat
of the fire.

The defcent of the water in the balthead
fhewed the fums of the expanfion of the
Air, and of the matter which was diftil-
ling: The expanfion of the Air alone, when
the lower part of the retort was beginning
to be red hot, was at a medium, nearly
equal to the capacity of the retorts, fo that
it then took up a double fpace; and in a
white and almoft melting heat, the Air took

cs

Analyfis of the Air. 159
up a tripple {pace or fomething more: For
which reafon the leaft retorts are beft for
thefe Experiments. The expanfion of the
diftilling bodies was fometimes very little,
and fometimes many times greater than that
of the Air in the retort, according to their
different natures.

When the matter was fufficiently diftilled,
the retort vc. was gradually removed from
the fire, and when cool enough, was carried
into another room, where there was no fire.
When all was throughly cold, either the
following day, or fometimes 3 or 4 days af-
ter, I marked the furface of the water y,
where it then ftood ; if the furface of the
water was below =, then the empty {pace
between y and z fhewed how much Air was
generated, or raifed from a fix’d to an elaf-
tick ftate, by the action of the fire in diftil-
lation: But if y the furface of the water
was above 2, the fpace between 2 and y,
which was filled with water, fhewed the quan-
tity of Air which had been abforbed in the
operation, 7. e. was changed from a repel-
ling elaftick to a fix’d ftate, by the ftrong
attraGtion of other particles, which I there-
fore call abforbing.

When

160 Aualryfis of the Air.

When I would meafure the quantity of
this new generated Air, I {eparated the bolt-
head from the retort, and putting a cork in-
to the {mall end of the bolthead, I inverted
it, and poured in water to =. Then from
another veffel (in which I had a khown
quantity of water by weight) I poured in
water to y; fothe quantity of water which
was wanting, upon weighing this veffel a-
gain, was equal to the bulk of the new ge-
nerated Air. I chofe to meafure the quanti-
ties of Air, and the matter from whence it
arofe, by one common meafure of cubick
inches, eftimated from the fpecifick gravi-
ties of the feveral fubftances, that thereby
the proportion of one to the other might
the more readily be feen.

I made ufe of the following means to
meafure the great quantities of Air, which
were either raifed and gencrated, or abforbed
by the fermentation arifing from the mix-
ture of variety of folid and fluid fubftan-
ces, whereby I could eafily eftimate the fur-
prifing effedts of fermentation on the air, vzz.

I putintothe bolthead 6 (Fig. 34.) the
ingredients, and then run the long neck of
the bolthead into the deep cylindrical glafsay,

z and

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Analy fis of the Ay. 464

and inclined the inverted glafs 2 y, and
bolthead almoft horizontally in a large vef-
fel of water, that the water might run in-
to the glafs 4 3 when it was almoft up to
a the top of the bolthead, I then immerfed
the bottom of the bolthead, and lower part
y of the cylindrical glafs under water, rai-
fing at the fame time the end a uppermoft.
Then before I took them out of the water;
1 fet the bolthead and lower part of the cy-
lindrical glafs a y into the earthen veffel x
full of water, and having lifted all out of
the great veffel of water, I marked the fur-
face = of the water in the glafs a ¥.

If the ingredients in the bolthead, is
fermenting onesie Air, then thie water
would fall from & to ¥, and the empty ipa ce
2 y was equal to the bulk 668 dig e quantity
of Air generated: But if the ingredient
upon fermentation did abforbe or fix the
active particles of Air, then the furface of
the water would afcend from ‘stow, and
the fpace =, which was filled with water,
Was equal to the bulk of Air, which was
abforbed by the ingredients, or by the fume
arifing from them: When the quantities of
Air, either generated or abforbed, were very
| M great,

<2)

162 Analy/is of the Arr.

great, then Imadeufe of large chymical recei-
vers inftead of the glafs a y: But if thefe
quantities were very {mall, then inftead of the
bolthead and deep cylindrical glafs a y, I
made ufe of a fmall cylindrical glafs, or a
common beer glafs inverted, and placed
under it a Viol or Jelly glafs, taking care
that the water did not come at the ingredi-
ents in them, which was eafily prevented
by drawing the water up under the inverted
glafs to what height I pleafed by means of
a fyphon; I meafured the bulk of the {paces
zy or 3”, by pouring in a known quan-
tity of water, as in the for¢going Experi-
ment, and making an allowance for the
bulk of the neck of the bolthead, within
the {pace 2 y.

When I would take an eftimate of the
quantity of Air abforbed and fix’d, or ge-
nerated by a burning candle, burning brim-
ftone or nitre, or by the breath of a living
animal, ¢ye. I firft placed a high fland, or
pedeftal in the veffel full of water ~ x;
(Fig. 35.) which pedeftal reached a little
higher than 2 zg. On this pedeftal I placed
the candle, or living animal, and then
whelmed overitthe largeinverted glafsz aa,

which

Analyfis of the Air. 163

which was fufpended by a cord,. fo as to
have its mouth rr three or four inches un-
der water; then with a fyphon I fucked
the Air out of the glafs veffel till the water
rofeto z % But when any noxious thing, as
burning brimftone, aquafortis, or the like»
were placed under the glafs ; then by affix-
ing to the fyphon the nofe of a large pair of
bellows, whofe wide fucking orifice was
clofed up, as the bellows were enlarged,
they drew the Air briskly out of the glafs
= 2aathro’ the fyphon; the other leg of
which fyphon I immediately drew from un-
der the glafs veffel, marking the height of
the water 2 z. |
When the materials on the pedeftal ge-
nerated Air, then the water would fubfide
from 22% toa@a, which fpace 3 za awas
equal to the quantity of Air generated :
But when the materials deftroyed any part cf
the Air’s elafticity, then the water would
rife from aa (the height that I in that cafe
at firft fucked it to) to 22, and the {pace
aa 2% 2 Was equal to the quantity of Air,
whofe elafticity was deftroyed.
I fometimes fired the materials on the
pedeftal by means of a burning glafs, vzz.
M 2 fuch,

164 Analy fis of the ir.

fuch as phofphorus and brown paper dipped
in water, ftrongly impregnated with nitre
and then dryed.

Sometimes I lighted the candle or large
matches of brimftone before I whelmed the
slafs g = @ a over them, in which cafe I
inftantly drew up the water to a 4, which
by the expanfien of the heated Air would
at firft fubfide a little, but then immediately
turned to arifing ftate, notwithftandiag the
flame continued to heat and rarify the Air
for 2 or 3 minutes: As foon as the flame
was out, I marked the height of the wa-
tcr & &; after which the water would for
20 or 30 hours continue rifing a great deal
above & 2: i

Sometimes when I would pour violently
fermenting liquors, as aquafortis, @c. on
any materials, I fufpended the aquafortis in
aviolat the top of the glafs veflel = 3 aa,
in fuch manner, that by means of a ftring,
which came down. into the veflel x x, I
could by inverting the viol pour the aqua-
fortis on the materials, which were in a
vefiel on the pedeftal.

I fhall now proceed to give an account

of the event of agreat many Experiments,
which

Analryfis of the “hr. | 165

which I made by means of thefe inftru-
ments, which I have here at firft de{cribed,
to avoid the frequent repetition of a defcrip-
tion of ‘em, It is confonant to the right
method of philofophifing, firft, to analize
the fubje&, whofe nature and properties we
intend to make any refearches into, by a
regular and numerous {cricsof Experiments :
And then by laying the event of thofe Ex-
periments before us in one view, thereby to
fee what light their united and concurring
evidence will give us. How rational this
method is, the fequel of thefe Experiments
will fhew.

The illuftrious Sir L/aac Newton ( query
31ft of his Opticks) obferves, that ‘ true
<< permanent Air arifes by fermentation or
“ heat, from thofe bodies which the chy-
“ mifts call fixed, whofe particles adhere by
<< a ftrong attraction, and are not therefore
“ feparated and rarified without fermenta-
< tion. Thofe particles receding from one
« another with the greateft repulfive force,
“ and being moft difficultly brought toge-
*¢ ther, which upon conta& were moft ftrong-
« ly united. And query 30. denfe bodies by
‘¢ fermentation rarify into feveral forts of

M 3 a Air,

166 Analyfis of the Air.

« Air; and this Air by fermentation, and
¢¢ {omctimes without it, returns into denfe
“ bodies.” Of the truth of which we have
evident proof from many of the following
Experiments, vzz.

That I might be well affured that no part
of the new Air which was produced in di-
ftillation of bodies, arofe either from the
sreatly heated Air in the retorts, or from
the fubffance of the heated retorts, I fir
gave ared hot heat both to an empty glafs
retort, and alfo to an iron retort made of a
musket barrel ; when all wascold, I found
the Air took up no more room than _be-
fore it was heated: whence I was aflured,
that no Air arofe, either from the fubftance
of the retorts, or from the heated Air.

As to antmal fubftances, a very confide-
rable quantity of permanent Air was pro-
duced by 4iftillation, not only from the
blood and fat, but alfo from the moft folid
parts of animals.

EXPERIMENT XLIX.

A cubick inch of Hog’s blood, diftilled to
dry {coria, produced thirty three cubick
inches

Analyfis of the Air. 167

inches of Air, which Air did not arife till
the white fumes arofe ; which was plain to
be feen by the great defcent of the water at
that time, in the receiver a 2 y (Fig. 33.)

EXPERIMENT. L.

Lefs than a cubick inch of Tallow, being
all diftilled over into the receiver aa y
(Fig. 33.) produced 18 cubick inches of
Air.

EXPERIMENT LI.

241 Grains, or half a cubick inch of the
tip of a fallow Deer's horn, being diftilled
in the iron retort, made of a musket bar-
rel, which was heated at a {mith’s forge, pro-
duced 117 cubick inches, that is, 234 times
its bulk of Aig, which did not begin to
rife till the white fumes arofe; but then
rufhed forth in great abundance, and in good
plenty, alfo with the foetid oil which came
laft. The remaining calx was two thirds
black, the reft afh coloured; it weighed 128
grains, fo it was not half wafted, whence
there muft remain much fulphur in it; the

M 4 weight

168 Analysis of the Air.

weisht of water to Air, being nearly as
$85 to one, as Mr. Hawksbee found it, by
an accurate Experiment. A cubick inch of
Air will weigh 4 of a grain, whence the
weight of Air in the horn was 33 grains,
that is, mear > part of the whole horn.

We may obferve in this, as alfo in the
preceding Experiment, and many of the
following ones, that the particles of new
Air were detached from the blood and
horn, at the fame time with the white fumes,
which confitute the volatile falc: But this
volatile falt, which mounts with great adti-
vity in the Air, is fo far from generating
true elaftick Air, that on the contrary it
abforbs it, asl found by the following Ex-
periment.

EXPERIMENT LI:

A dram of volatile falt of fal iwi
foon diftilled over with a gentle heat ; but
tho’ the expanfion in the receiver was dou-
ble that of heated Air alone, yet no Air

was generated, but two and an half cubick
inches were abforbed,

EXPE-

Analyfis of the Aur. 169

ExPERIMENT LIL.

Half a cubick inch of Oy/erfbell, or 266
grains diftilled in the iron retort, generated
162 cubick inches, or 46 grains, which is a
little more than % part of the weight of the
fhell.

ExPERIMENT LIV.

Two grains of Phofphorus cafily melted
at fome diftance from the fire, flamed and
filled the retort with white fumes, it ab-
forbed three cubick inches of Air. A like
quantity of Phofphorus, fired in a large re-
ceiver (Fig. 35.) expanded into a {pace equal
to fixty cubick inches, and abforbed 28 cu-
bick inches of Air: When 3 grains of Phof-
phorus were weighed, foon after it was
burnt, it had loft half a grain of its weight ;
but when two grains of Phofphorus was
weighed, fome hours after it was burnt,
having run more per deliquium by abforbing
the moifture of the Air, it had increafed a
grain in weight,

EXPE-

170 Analyfis of the Aur.

EXPERIMENT LY.

As to vegetable Subftances, from half a
cubick inch, or 135 grains of heart of Oaks
frefh cut from the growing tree, was gene-
rated 108 cubick inches of Air, z. e. a quan-
tity equal to 216 times the bulk of the
picce of Oak, its weight was above 30 grains,
4 part of the weight of 135 grains of Oak.
I took a like quantity of thin fhavings from
the fame piece of Oak, and dryed them
gently at fome diftance from a fire for 24
hours, in which time 44 grains weight of
moifture had evaporated; which being de-
ducted from the 135 grains, there remains 91
grains for the folid part of the Oak: Then
the 30 grains of Air, will be 3 of the weight
of the folid part of the Oak.

Eleven days after this Air was made, I
put a live Sparrow into it, which died in-
ftantly.

EXPERIMENT LYI.

From 388 grains weight of Indian Wheat,

which grew in my garden, but was not
come

Analyfis of the Au. I7E
come to full maturity, was generated 270
cubick inches of Air, the weight of which
Air was 77 grains, vzz. 4 of the weight

of the Wheat.

EXPERIMENT LVIL

From a cubick inch, or 318 grains of
Peafe, was generated 396 cubick inches of
Air or 113 grains, z.e. fomething more than
3 of the weight of the Peaf/e.

Nine days after this Air was made, f
lifted the inverted mouth of the receiver
which contained it, out of the water, and
put a lighted candle under it, upon which
it inftantly flafhed: Then I immediately im-_
merfed the mouth of the receiver in the wa-
ter, to extinguifh the fame. This I repeated
Siof 10 times, and it as often fathed,: ak
ter which it ceafed, all the fulphureous {pi-
rit being burnt. It was the fame with Air
of diftilled Oyfterfhell and Amber, and with
new diftilled Air of Peafe and Bees-wax. I
found it the fame alfo with another like
quantity of Air of Peafe; notwithftanding I
wafhed that Air no lefs than eleven times,
by pouring it fo often under water, up-

wards,

172 Analyfis of the Air.
wards, out of the containing veffel, into
another inverted receiver full of water. |

EXPERIMENT LYIII.

There was raifed from an ounce or 437
grains of Muftard-feed 270 cubick inches
of air, or 77 grains, which is fomething
more than ¢ part of the ounce weight.
There was doubtlefs much more air in the
feed; but it rofe in an unelaftick flate, be-
ing not difentangled from the Oil, which was
in fuch plenty within the gun-barrel, that
when I heated the whole barrel red hot in
order to burn it out, it flamed vigoroufly
out at the mouth of the barrel. Oil alfo
adhered to the infide of the barrel, in the
diftillation of many of the other animal, ve-
getable and mineral fubftances; fo that the
elaftick air, which I meafured in the recei-
ver, was not all the air contained in the
feveral diftill’d fubftances; fome remaining
in the Oil, for there is unelaftick air in
Oil, part being alfo reforbed by the ful-
phurcous fumes in the receiver.

E x-

Analyfis of the Aer. 173

ExPERIMENT LIX.

From half a cubick inch of Amber, or
135 grains, was raifed 135 cubick inches
of air, or 38 grains, wz. = part of its
weight.

ExPERIMENT LX.

From 142 grains of dry Tobacco was raifed
153 cubick inches of air, which is little
lefs than } of the whole weight of the To-
bacco; yet it was not all burnt, part being
out of the reach of the fire.

EXPERIMENT LXI.

Camphire is a moft volatile fulphureous
fubfiance, fublimed from the Rofin of atree
in the Ha/t-Indies. A dram of it, melted
into a clear liquor, at fome diftance from
the fire, and fublimed inthe form of white
chryftals, a little above the liquor, it made
a very {mall expanfion, and neither gene-
- rated nor abforbed air. The fame Mr. Boyle
found, when he burnt it zz vacuo. Vol. 2.
p: 695. eae 4: Bx

174 Analyfis of the Air.
EXPERIMENT LXIL.

From about a cubick inch of chymical
Oilof Annifeed, Labtained 22 cubick inches
of air; and from a like quantity of Oil of
Olives 88 cubick inches of air. The rea-
fon of which difference was, as I fuppofe,
this, vz. finding that the Oil of Annifeed
came plentifully over into the receiver, in
the diftillation of the Oil of Olives,-I raif-
ed the neck of the retort a foot higher,
by which means the Oil could not fo eafi-
ly afcend, but fell back again into the hot-
eft part of the retort, whereby more air
was feparated; yet in this cafe good ftore
of Oil came over into the receiver; in
which there was doubtlef$ plenty of un-
elaftick air: Whence by comparing this
with Experiment 58. we fee that air is in
greater plenty feparated from the Oil, when
in the Muftard-feed, than it is from expreff-
ed or chymical Oil.

€

EXPERIMENT TXT

From a cubick inch, or 359 grains of Ho-
me),

Analyfis of the Aur. 75

wey, mixed with calx of. bones, there arofe
144 cubick inches of air, or 41 grains, viz.
a little more than 5 part of the weight of
the whole.

EXPERIMENT LXIY.

From a cubick inch of yellow Bees-wax,
or 243 grains, therearofe 54 cubick inches
Di air, Or 15 grains; the 7, part of the
whole.

EXPERIMENT LXV.

From 373 grains, or a cubick inch of
the coarfeft Sugar, which is the effential
falt of the fugar-cane, there arofe 126 cubick
inches of air, equal to 36 grains, a little
more than 4 part of the whole.

EXPERIMENT LXVI.

I found very little air in 54 cubick inches
of Brandy, but in a like quantity of Well-
water 1 foundone cubick inch. In Pzer_
mont-waier there is near twice as much air,
as in Kam or common water, which air

2 con-

176 AMnalyfis of the Air.

contributes to the brisknefs of that and ma-
ny other mineral waters. I found thefe
feveral quantities of air, by inverting the
nofes of bottles, full of thefe feveral liquors,
into {mall glafs cifterns full of the fame
liquor. And then fetting them all together
in a boyler, where having an equal heat,
the air was thereby feparated and afcended
to the upper parts of the bottles.

ExPERIMENT LXVIL.

By the fame means alfo, I found plenty
of air might be obtained from munerals,
Half a cubick inch, or 158 grains of New-
caftle coal, yielded 180 cubick inches of air,
which arofe very faft from the coal, efpe-
cially when the yellowifh fumes afcended.
The weight of this air is 51 grains, which:
is nearly + of the weight of the coals.

ExPERIMENT LXYVIIL

A cubick inch of frefh dug wntried
earth off the common, being well burnt
in diftillation, produced 43 cubick inches of
air. Fromchalk alfo, I obtained air in the
fame manner.

I , e Ex

Analyfis of the Air. 477

ExpERIMENT LXIX.

From a quarter of a cubick inch of 4p-
timony, 1 obtain’d 28 times its bulk of air.
It was diftilled in a glafs retort, becaufe it
will demettalize iron. |

EXPERIMENT LXX.

I procured a hard, dark, gray Pyrites, 4
mineral fubftance, which was found 7 feet
under ground, in digging for {fprings on
Walton-heath, for the fervice of the Right
Honourable the Earl of Lizco/n, at his beau-
tiful feat at Oatlands in Surrey; this mine-
ral abounds not only with fulphur, which
has been drawn from it in good plenty,
but alfo with faline particles, which
fhoot vilibly onits furface, A cubick inch
of this mzneral yiclded in diftillation 83 cu-
bick inches of air.

EXPERIMENT LXXI.

Half a cubick inch of well decrepitated
fea-falt mixt with double its quantity of
calx of bones generated 32 times its bulk
of air: It had fo great a heat given it, that
N all

178 Analy/fis of ibe A.

all being diftilled over, the remaining {coria
did not run per deliguium. 1 cleared the
gun-barrel of thefe and the like fcoria, by
ftriking long on the outfide with a hammer.

EXPERIMENT LXXIUL.

From 211 grains or half a cubick inch
of Nztre, mixed with calx of bones, there
arofe 90 cubick inches of air, z. e. a quan-
tity equal to 180 timesitsbulk ; fo the weight
of air in any quantity of nitre is about + part.
Vitriol diftilled in the fame manner yields’
air too.

EXPERIMENT LXXIUI.

From a cubick inch or 443 grains of
Renifo Tartar, there arofe very faft 504 cu-
bick inches of air; fo the weight of the air
in this Tartar was 144 grains, 2. ¢. 3 part
of the weight of the whole: The re-
maining fcoria which was very little, rua
per deliguiwm, an argument that there re-
mained fome S¢/ Tartar, and confequently
more air; for

EXPERIMENT LXXIV.

Half a cubick inch or 304 grains of Sa/
Tartar,

Analyfis of the Aur. 179
Tartar, made with nitre and tartar, and
mixed with a double quantity cof calx of
bories, yielded in diftillation 112 cubick
inches of air; that is, 224 times its bulk of
air, which 112 cubick inches weighing 32
grains, is mearly + part of the weight of
the Sa/ Tartar, There is amore intenfe de-
grce of heat required to raife the air from
Sal Tartar than from nitre.

Hence we fee, that the preportion of
air in equal bulks of Sa/Tartar and nitre is
as 224 to1gso. But weight for weight, nitre
contains a little more air in it, than this
Sal Tartar made with nitre. But Sal Tartar
made without nitre, lias probably a little more
air in it than this had, becaufe itis found
to make a greater explofion in the Pufuzs
Fulminans, than the nitrated S2{Tartar. But
fuppofing, as is found by this Experimene,
that Sa/ Tartar, according to its {pecifick gra-
Vity, contains + part more init than nitre ;
yet this excefs of air is not fufiicient to
account for the vaftly greater explofion of
dat Tartar than of nitre ; which feems prin-
cipally to axife from the more fixt nature
of Sal Tartar; which therefore requires 2
More intenfe degrecof fire, to feparate the

N 2 a08

180 Analy fis of the Aur.

air from the ftrongly adhering particles ;
than is found requifite to raife the air from
nitre. Whence the air of Saf Zartar mutt
neceffari.y thereby acquire a greater elaftick
force, and make a more violent explofion,
than that of nitre. And from the fame rea-
fon it is, that Aurum Fulmimans gives a
louder explofion than Pualvis Fulminans.
The fcoria of this operation did not run per
deliquinm, a proof thatall the Sal Tartar was
diftilled over.

From the little quantity of air which is
obtained by the diftillation of fea-falt in Ex-
periment 71. in comparifon of what arifes
fromnitreand Sa/ Tartar, we fee the reafon
why it will not go off with an explofive
force, like thofe when fired. And at the
fame time we may hence obferve, that the
air included in nicre and Sa/Tartar, bears a
confiderable part in their explofion. For fea-
falt contains an acid {pirit as well as nitre ;
and yet that without a greater proportion —
of air docs not qualify it for explofion, tho’
mixed like nitre in the compofition of gun-
powder, with fulphur and charcoal.

Mr. Boyle found that Agua-fortis pour-
edona firong folution of jale of tartar did

not

Analyfis of the chr. ei

not fhoot into fair cryftals of falt-petre, till
it had been long expofed to the open air,
whence he fufpected that the air contribut-
ed to that artificial produdtion of falt-petre.
And fays, ‘* whatever the air hath to do in
¢ this Experiment, we have known fuch
«¢ changes made in fome faline concretes,
<¢ chiefly by the help of the open air, as
«© very few would be aptto imagine.” Vol.
Pp. 302. and Vol 3. -p. 80.

We fee from the great quantity of air,
which is found in falts, of what ufe it is
in their cryftalization and formation, and
particularly how neceflary it is in making
falt-petre from the mixture of falt of tartar
and {pirit of nitre. For fince by Experiment
72, and 73, a great deal of air flies away, in
the making of Sa/ Tartar, either from nitre
and tartar, or from tartar alone: It mutt
needs be neceflary, in order to the forming
of nitre from the mixture of Sal Tartar and
fpirit of nitre, that more air fhould be in-
corporated with it, than is contained either
in the Sa/ Tartar or {piric of nitre.

ht

182 Analyfis of the Air.

EXPERIMENT LXXKY.

Near half a cubick inch of compound A-
fortes, which bubbled and made a con-
gle expanticn in diftillation was foon
aut iee off: As it cooled the expanfion
ted very fafi, and a little air was abforb-
cd. Whence it is evident that the air ge-
nerated by the diftillation of nitre, did not
arife from the volatile {pirituous particles.
dence alfo it is probable that there is
fome air in acid {pirits, which is reforbed
and fixt by them in diftijlation. Aad this
is further confirmed from the many air bub-
bles which arife from 4gua-regia, in
the folution of gold; for fince gold lofes
nothing of its weight in being diffolved, the
air cannot arife from the metalline part of
tne gold, but muft cither arife from the
Agusa-regia ox from latent air in the pores
of the gald,

=

ExPERIEMENT LXXVIJ.

A cubick inch of common Brzmffone ex-
panied very little in diftillation in a glafs
retort $

Analysis of the Aur. 182
retort; notwithftanding it hada great heat
given it, and was all diftilled over into the
receiver without flaming. It abforbed fome
air, but flaming brimftone by Experiment
103, abforbs much air.

A good part of the air thus raifed from
feveral bodies by the force of fire, was apt
gradually to lofe its elafticity, in ftanding
feveral days; the reafon of which was (as
will appear more fully hereafter) that the
acid fulphureous fumes raifed with that air,
did reforb and fix the elaftick particles.

EXPERIMENT LXXVII,

To prevent which I made ufe of the fol-
lowing method of diftillation, we. I fixe
- aleaden fyphon, Fig. 38. tothe nofe of the
iron retort r 7; and then having immerfed
the fyphon in the veffel of water x» x, I
placed over the open end of the fyphon
the inverted chymical receiver 46 which was
full of water; fo that asthe air which was
raifed in diftillation, pafled thro’ the water
up to the top of the receiver 26, a good
part of the acid {pirit and fulphureous fumes
were by this means intercepted and retain-

Ne. ed

134 Analyfis of the Air.

ed in the water; the confequence of which
was, that the new generated air continued
in a more permanently elaftick fiate, very
little of it lofing its elafticity, viz. not a-
bove a 1sth or 18th part, and that chiefly
the firft 24 hours; after which the remain-
der continued in a conftantly elaftick ftate ;
excepting the air of tartar, which in 6 or
8 days loft conftantly above one-third of
its elafticity ; after which the remainder was
permanently elaftical.

That the great quantities of air which are
thus obtained from thefe feveral fubftances
by diftillation are true air, and nota mere
flatulent vapour, I was aflured by the fol-
lowing tryals; vzz. I filled a large receiver
which contained 540 cubick inches, with air
of tartar; and when it was cool, I fufpend-
ed the receiver while its mouth was invert-
ed in water. Then upon lifting the mouth
of the receiver out of water, I immedi-
ately covered it by tying a piece of bladder
over it. WhenI had found the exact weight,
i blew out all the air of tartar with a pair
of bellows which had a long additional nofe
that reached to the bottom of the receiver.
And then tying the bladder on, I weighed

it

Finalyfis of the Aur. 185
it again, but could find no difference in
the fpecifick cravity of the two airs, and it
wasthe fame with an air of tartar which
was 10 days old.

As to the other property of the air, clafti-
city, Ifound it exaétly the fame in the air of
tartar, which was 15 daysold, and common
air; by filling two equal tubes with thefe
different airs, the tubes were roinches long
and fealed at one’ end; I placed them art
the fame time in a cylindrical glafs condent-
ing receiver, where I compreffed them with
two additional atmofpheres, taking care to
fecure myfelf from danger in cafe the giafs
fhould burft, by placing it in a deep wocd-
en veflel, the water rofe to equal heights in
both tubes. This receiver was gently an-
nealed and thereby toughened, by being
boiled in Urine where it lay till all was
cold.

I put alfo into the fame tubes fome new
made air of tartar, both the tubes ftanding
in cifterns of water; the air of one of thefe
tubes I compreffed in the condenfing en-
gine for fome days, to try whether in that
comprefied ftate, more of the air’s elafticiry
would be deftroyed by the abforbing va-

pours

186 Aualyfis of the Aur.

pours than in an uncomprefied tate; but I
did not perceive any fenfible difference,

Lemery, in his courfe of chymiftry, p. $92.
obtained in the diftillation of 48 ounces of
Tartar, 4 ounces of phlegm, 8 of fpirits,
3 of oil, and 32 of Scoria, 2 e. two thirds
of the whole, fo one ounce was lof in the
operation.

In my diftillation of 443 grains of Tar-
tar in Exper. 73. there remained but az
grains of Scoria, which is little more than
* of the Yartar; and in this remainder,
there was by Exper. 74 Air, for there was
Sal Tartar, it cunning per deliguinm.

Whence by comparing Lemery’s and my
diftillation together, we fhall find, that there
remained in this 32 ounces of Scoria, and
in the ounce that was loft, ( which was
doubtlefs moft of it air} fubffance enough
to account for the great quantity of air, which
in Exper. 73. was raifed from Tartar; efpe-
cially, if we take into the account the pro-
portion of air, which was contained in the
oil, which was *, part of the whole Zar-
tar, for there is much air in oil.

The bodies which I diftilled in this man-
ner (Fig. 38.) were Horn, calculus humanus,

Oyfter-

Analyfis of the Air. 187

Oyfterfhell, Oak, Muftard. feed, Indian- wheat,
Peafe, Tobacco, oil of Annifeed, oil of Olives,
Honey, Wax, Sugar, Amber, Coal, Earth,
Walton Mineral, fea Salt, Salt-petre, Tar-
tar, Sel Zertar, Lead, Minium. The greateft
part of the Air obtained from all which bo-
dies was very permanent, except what the
Air of Tartar loft in ftanding feveral days.
Particularly, that from nitre loft little of
its elafticiry, whereas moft of the Air ob.
tained from nitre, in diftilling with the re-
ceiver (Fig. 33.) was reforbed in a few days,
as was alfo the Air which was generated from
detonized nitre in Experiment 102. Hence
alfo we fee the reafon, why 19 parts in 20,
of the Air which was generated, by the firing
of Gunpowder, was in 18 days reforbed by
the fulphureous fumes of the Gunpowder,
As Mr. Hawksbee obferved, in his phyfico-
mechanical Experiments, page 83.

In the diftillation of Horn, it was obfer-
vable, that when towards the end of the ope-
ration the thick foetid oil arofe, it formed
very large bubbles, with tough undiuousskins,
which continued in that flate fome time ;
and when they broke, there arofe out of
them volumes of {moak, as out of a chimney,

and

188 fnalyfis of the Air.
and it was the fame in the diftillation of
Mutftard-feed.

AN ACCOUNT OF SOME EXPERIMENTS MADE
ON STONES TAKEN OUT OF HUMAN URINE
AND GALL BLADDERS.

AVIVG, while thefe Sheets were

printing off, procured by the favour
of Mr. Ranby, Surgeon to His Majefty’s-
Fioufbold, forme calculi humani, | made the
following Experiments with them, which I
fhall here infert, vzg.

I diftilled a calculus in the iron retort
(Fig. 38.) It weighed 230 grains, which ts
fomething lefs in bulk than ¢ of a cubick
inch: There arofe from it very briskly, in
diftillation, 516 cubick inches of elaftick Air,
that is, a bulk equal to 645 times the bulk
of the Stone; fo that above half the Stone
was raifed by the aGion of the fire into elaf-
tick Air; which is a much greater propor-
tion of Air, than I have ever obtained by
fire, from any other fubftances, whether a-
nimal, vegetable or mineral. The remaining
calx weighed 49 grains, that is =>, part
of tne calculus; which is nearly the fame

3 seul

Analyfis of the Aur. 189
propottion of calx, that the worthy Dr. S/are
found remaining, after the diftilling and
calcining two ounces of calculus, “one ounce;
<¢ and three drams of which (he fays) eva-
<¢ porated in the open fire (a material cir-
«© cumftance, which the Chymifts rarely en-
« quire after) of which we have no ac-
‘ count.” Philof: Tranfact. Lowthorp’s A-
bridgment. Vol. lll. p. 179. The greateft
part of which was, we fee by the prefent
Experiment, raifed into permanently claf-
tick Air,

By comparing this diftillation of the ca/-
culus with that of Renifh Tartar in Exper.
73. we fee that they both afford more Air
in diftillation, than any other fubftances :
_ And it isremarkable, that a greater propor-
tion of this new raifed Air from thefe two
fubftances, is reforbed and lofes its elafti-
city, in ftanding a few days, than that of any
other bodies, which are firong fymptoms
that the calculus is a true animal Tartar.
And as there was very confiderably lefs oil,
in the diftillation of Renzfb Tartar,than there
was in the diftillation of the Seeds and folid
parts of vegetables; fo I found that this
calculus contained much lefs oil than the
blood or folid parts of animals. I

A

190 Analyfis of the Aur,

I diftilled in the fame manner, as the
above mentioned calculus, fome ftones taken
out-of a human gall bladder, they weighed
$2 grains, fo their bulk was equal to 4 part
of a cubick inch, as I found by taking thei
{pecifick gravity. ‘There was 108 cubick in-
ches of elaftick Air raifed from them in di-
ftillation, a quantity equal to 648 times their
bulk ; much the fame quantity that was
raifed from the calculus. About = part of
this elaftick Air was in 4 days reduced in-
to a fixd ftate. There arofe much more
oil in the diftillation of thefe Stones, than
from the Calculus, part of which oil did
arife from the Gall which achered to, and
was dryed on the furfaces of the Stones,
which oil! formed large bubbles, like thofe
which arofe in the diftillation of Deers Horm
py ¥87.-

A {mall Stone of the Gall Bladder, which
Was: as ne s a Pea, was diffolved in a Lix-
ivium: of Sal Tartar in feven days, which
Lixisium will alfo diffolve Tartar; yet it
will not diffolve the Calcz/us, which is more
firmly united in its parts.

A quantity of Calculus equal to one half

of what was diflilled, vis. 14s grains, did,
when

Anabyfis of the Air. IQE
when 2 cubick inch of fpirit of nitre was
poured on it, diffolve in 2 or 3 hours, with
a large froth, and generated 48 cubick inches
of Air, none of which loft its elafticity, tho’
it ftood many days in the glafs veflel. (Fig,
34.) And alike quantity of Zartar being
mixed with {pirit of nitre, was in the fame
time diffolved, but no elaftick Air was ge-
nerated, notwithftanding Tartar abounds fo
much with Air.

Small pieces of Tartar and Calculus were
in r2 or 14 days both diffolved by oil of
Vitriol ; the like pieces of Tartar and Calcu-
Jus were diflolved in a few hours by oil of
Vitriol, into whch there was gradually

poured near an equal quantity of fpirit of —

Harts-horn, made with Lime, which caufed
a confiderable ebullition and heat.

Tho’ the remaining calx of the diftillation
of Tartar, in Exper. 73. run per deliquinm,
and had therefore Sal Tartar in it; and
tho’ the calx of the diftilled Calculus did
not run per deliquium, and had conf{equently
no Sa/ Tartar in it; yet it cannot thence
be inferred, that the Calculus is not a tar-
tazine fubftance: Becaufe by Exper. 74, it
ys evident, that Sa/ Tartar it felf, when

2 , (OS mined

192 Amalyfis of the Air.

mixed with an animal calx, diftills all over,
fo that the calx will not afterwards run
per deliquium.

By the great fimilitude there is therefore
in fo many refpedts between thefe two fub-
ftances, we may well look upon the Cal
eulus, and the Stone in the Gall Bladder,
as true animal Tartars, and doubtlefs Pr |
concretions are the fame. |

From the great quantities of Air, that
are found in thefe Tartars, we fee that un-—
elaftick Air particles, which by their ftrongly
attracting property are fo inftrumental in
forming the nutritive matter of Animals and
Vegetables, is by the fame attraGtive. power
apt fometimes to form anomalous concre-
tions, asthe Stone, ce. in Animals, efpe-
cially in thofe places where any animal
fluids are ina ftagnant flate, as in the Urine
and Gall Bladders. The like tartarine con-
cretions are alfo frequently formed in fome
fruits, particularly in Pears; but they do
then efpecially coalefce in greateft plenty,
when the vegetable juices are in a ftagnant
ftate, as in wine veffels, ¢>c.

This great quantity of ftrongly attracting,
Teelatick air. particles, which we find in rhe

Cal-

Analyfis of the Aur. 193
Calculus, fhould rather encourage than dif
courage us, in fearching after fome proper
diffolvent of the Stone in the Bladder, which,
upon the analyfis of it; is found to be well
ftored with active principles, fuch-as are
the principal agents in fermentation. For
Mr. Boyle found therein 2 good quantity of
volatile falt, with fome oil; and we fee by
the prefent Experiment, that there is ftore of
unelaftick air particles in it. The difficulty
feems chiefly to lay, in the over proportion
of thefe laft mentioned particles, which are
firmly united together by fulphur and falt,
the proportion of caput mortuum, ox earth
being very {mall.

EXPERIMENT LXXVIII.

One eighth of a cubick inch of Mercury
made a very infenfible expanfion in diftilla-
tion, notwithftanding the iron retort had
an almoft meiting heat given it, at a {mith’s
forge, fo that it made an ebullition, which
could be heard at fome diftance, and withal
fhook the retort and receiver. There was
no air generated, nor was there any expans
fion of air in the following Exper. wz.

O EXPE-

194 Analyfis of the Aur:

EXPERIMENT LXXIX.

I put into the fame retort half a cubick
inch of Mercury, athxing to the retort a very
capacious receiver, which had no hole in
the bottom. The wide mouth of the recei-
ver was adapted to the {mall neck of the
retort (which was made of a musket barrel)
by means of two large pieces of cork which
entered and filled the mouth of the receiver,
they having holes bored in them of a fit fize
for the neck of the retort; and the junc.
ture was farther fecured, by a dry fupple
bladder tyed over it : For I purpofely.avoided
making ufe of any moift lute, and took
care to wipe the infide of the receiver very
dry with a warm cloth.

The Mercury madea great ebullition, and
came fome of it over into the receiver, as
foon as the retort had a red heat given it,
which was increafed to a white and almoft
nelting heat, in which ftate it continued
for half an hour. During which time, I fre-
quently cohobated fome part of the Mer-
cury, Which condenfed, and was lodged on
an horizontal level, about the middle of

the

|
‘

Aualyfis of the Aur, 195
the neck of the retort: And which upon
raifing the receiver, flowed down into the
bottom of the retort, and there made a frefh
ebullition, which had ceafed, when all the
Mercury was diftilled from the bottom of
the retort. When ali was cool, I found about
two drams of Mercury in. the retort, and loft
in the whole 43 grains, but there was not
the leaft moifture in the receiver.

Whence itistobe fufpedted that Mr. Boyle
and others were deceived by fome unheeded
circumftance, when they thought they.cb-
tained a water from Mercury in the diftilla-
tion of it; which he fays he did once, but
could not make the like Eee iment after-
terwards fuceced. Boyle Vol. lll. p. 416.

I remember that about 20 years fince I
was concerned with feveral others, in mak-
ing this Experiment at the elaboratory in
Trinity College Cambridge, when imagining
there would be a very great expanfion, we
luted a German earthen retort, to 3 or 4
large Alodals, and a capacious receiver; as
Mr. Wilfon did in his courfe of Chymifiry.
Four pounds of Mercury was poured by lit-
tle and little into the red hod retort, thro’
a tobacco-pipe purpofely affixed to it. The

O 2 event

196 Analyfis of the Air.

“event was, that we found fome fpoons full
_ of water with the Mercury in the Alodals,
_ which I then fufpe&ted to arife from the
-moifture of the earthen retort and lute, and
am now confirmed in that fufpicion. It rained
inceffantly all the day, when I made this
prefent Experiment; fo that when water is
obtained in the diftillation of Mercury, it
cannot be owing to a moifter temperature
of the Air.

The effeéts of Fermentation on the Air.

AVING from the foregoing Experi-
ments feen very evident proof of the
produdion of confiderable quantities of true
elaftick air, from liquors and folid bodies,
by means of fire ; we fhall find in the fol-
lowing Experiments many inftances of the
production ; and alfo of the fixing or abforb-
ing of great quantities of air by the fermen-
tation arifing from the mixture of variety of
folids and fluids: Which method of pro-
ducing and of abforbing, and fixing the elaf-
tick particles of air, by fermentation, feems
to be more according to nature’s ufual way

of proceeding, than the other of fire.
E XP E-

Analyfis of the chr. 197

EXPERIMENT LXXX.,

I put into the bolthead 0 (Fig, 34.) 16 cu-
bick inches of Sheeps blood, with a little
water to make it ferment the better. I
found by the defcent of the water from z

to y that in 18 days fourteen cubick inches
of air were generated.

EXPERIMENT LXXXI.

Volatile Salt of Sal Ammoniac, placed in
an open glafs ciftern, under the inverted
glafs zs 2aa (Fig. 35.) neither generated
nor abforbed air. Neither did feveral other
volatile liquors, as {pirits of Harts-horn, {pi-
ritsof Wine, nor compound Aquafortis, ge-
nerate any air. But Sal Ammoniac, Sal
Zartar, and {piris of Wine mixed together,
generated 26 cubick inches of air, two of
which wasin 4 days reforbed, and after that
generated again.

EXPERIMENT LXXXH.

Half a cubick inch of Sal Ammoniac, and
OG: double

r98 Analyfis af the Air.
double that quantity of oz/ of Vtriol, geine-
rated the firft day 5 or 6 cubick inches: But
the following days it abforbed 15 cubick
inches, and continued many days in. that
ftate.

Equal sear of {pirits of 7; rpentiney
and otf of Vitriol, had near the fame effect,
except that it was fconer in an abforbing:
fiate than the other. |

Mr. Geeffroy fhews, that the mixture of
any Vitriolic falts, with inflammable fubftan-
ces, Wil yield common Brimftone; and by
the different compolitions he has made of
falphur; and particularly from o// of Vtriol,
and of of Turpentine; and by the Analyfis
thercof, when thus prepared, he difcovered

t to be nothing but vitriolic falt, united with
the combuftible fubftance. Frey, a Memoirs,
Anno 1704. p. 381,01 Boyle's Works, Vol. Ill,

NI (~
Pp. 273.- sWotes.

EXPERIMENT -~ LXXXUL

In February I poured on fix cubick inches
of powdered Oyfierfbell, an equal quantity
ef common white-wine Vimegar. In 5 or 6
minute S it generated’ 17 cubick inches of
ait,

Analyfis of the Aur. 199

air, and in fome hours 12 cubick inches
more, in all 29 inches. In nine days it had
flowly reforbed 21 cubick inches of air. The
ninth day I poured warm water into the vef-
fel x x, (Fig. 34.) and the following day,
when all was cool, I found that it had re-
forbed the remaining 8 cubick inches. Hence
we fee that warmth will fometimes promote
areforbing, as well as a generating ftate, uzz.
by raifing the reforbing fumes, as will appear
more hereafter. |

Half a cubick inch of Oyfferfhell, and a
cubick inch of o7/ of Vrtriol, generated 32
cubick inches of air.

Ovfterfhell, and 2 cabick inches of four
Rennet, of a Calve’s ftomach, generated in
4. days 11 cubick inches. But Oy/ferfhell,
with fome of the Liquor of a Calve’s ftomach,
which had fed much upon hay, did not ge-
merate air. It was the fame with Oyfter foell
and Ox-gall, Urine and Spittle.

Half acubick inch of Oyfferfbell and Sevil
Orange juice generated the firft day 13 cu-
bick inches of air, and the following days
it reforbed that, and 3 or 4 more cubick
inches of air, and would fometimes generate
again. te was the fame with Limon j juice.

O 4 Ov fter.

200 Analyfis of the Air.

Oyfterfbell and Milk generated a little air:
But Limon juice and Mik did at the fame
time abforb a little air; as did alfo Calves
Rennet and Vinegar ; fome of the fame Rennet
alone generated a little air, and reforbed it
again the following day. It had the fame
eifec&t when mixed with crums of bread.

EXPERIMENT LXXXIV.

A cubick inch of Limon juice, and neat
an equal quantity of /périis of Harts-horn,
per fe, t. e. not made with Lime, did in 4
hours abforb 3 or 4 cubick inches of air ;
and the following day it remiteed or ge-
nerated two cubick inches of air: The third
day turning from very warm to cold, it a-
gain reforbed that air, and continued in an
abforbing ftate for a day or two.

That there is great plenty of air incor
porated into the fubftance of Vegetables,
which by the action of fermentation is rouzed
into an elaftick ftate, is evident by thefe fol-
lowing Experiments, wvzz.

EXPERIMENT LXXXY.

March the 2d, 1 poured into the bolt-
head @ (Fig. 34.) forty two cubick inches
of

Analyfis of the Air. 207

of Ale from the Tun, which had been there
fet to ferment 34 hours before: From that
time to the oth of Zune it generated 639
cubick inches of air, with a very unequal
progreflion, more or lefs as the weather
was warm, cool, or cold, and fometimes upon
achange from warm to cool, it reforbed
air, in all 32 cubick inches.

ExPERIMENT LXXXVI.

March the 2d, 12 cubick inches of Maz-
laga Raifins, with 18 cubick inches of wa-
ter generated by the 16th of Apra/ 411 cu-
bick inches of air, and then in 2 or 3 cold
days it reforbed 35 cubick inches. From
the 2rth of April to the 16th of May it
generated 78 cubick inches; after which to
the oth of Fune it continued ina reforbing
ftate, fo as to reforb 13 cubick inches ;
there were at this feafon many hot days,
with much Thunder and Lightning, which
deftroys the air’s elafticiry; fo there was ge-
nerated in all 489 cubick inches, of which
48 were reforbed. The liquor was at laft
yery vapid,

From

202 Analfis of the Air.

From the great quantity of air generated
from Apples, in the following Experiment,
‘tis probable, that much more air would
have rifen from the laxer texture of ripe
undryed Grapes, than did from thefe Rai-
fins.

We fee from thefe Experiments on Rai-
fins and Ale, that in warm weather Wine
and Ale do not turn vapid by imbibing
air, but by fermenting and generating too
much, whereby they are deprived of their
enlivening principle, the air; for which rea-
fon thefe liquors are beft preferved in cool
cellars, whereby this active invigorating
principle is kept within due bounds, which
when they exceed, Wines are upon the
fret and in danger of being {poiled.

EXPERIMENT LXXXVIIL

Twenty-fix cubick inches of Apples be-
ing mafthed Augufi 10. they did in 13 days
senerate 968 cubick inches of air, a quan-
rity ¢ ae to 48 times their bulk ; after which
ion did in 3 or 4 days reforb a quantity
equal to their bulk, notwithftanding it was -
ery hot weather; after which they were

I ftationary,

Analyfis of the Aur. 203
ftationary, neither reforbing nor generating
air in many days.

A very coarfe brown-fugar, with an equal
quantity of water, generated nine times its
bulk of air; Azce-flower fix times its bulk ;
Scurvy-grafs leaves generated and abforbed
air; Peafe, Wheat and Barley did in Fer-
mentation alfo generate great quantities of
exit. -

That this Air, which arifes in fuch great
quantities from fermenting and diflolving
vegetables is true permanent Air, is certain,
by its continuing in the fame cxpanded
elaftick ftate for many weeks and months;
which expanding watry vapours will not
do, but foon condenfe when cool. And
that this new generated air is elaftical is
plain, not only by its dilating and contra@-
ing with heat and cold, as common air does,
but alfo by its being compreflible, in propor-
tion tothe incumbent weight, as appears by
the two following Experiments, which fhew
what the great force of thefe aerial parti-
cles is, at the inftant they efcape from the
fermenting vegetables, |

Ex-

204 Analyfis of the Air.
EXPERIMENT LXXXYVIII.

I filled the ftrong Hungary-water Bottle
be Fig. 36. near half full of Peafe, and then
full of water, pouring in firft half an inch
depth of Mercury; then I {crewed at 6 in-
to the bottle the long flender tube a 2,
which reached down to the bottom of the
bottle ;the water wasin two or three daysall
imbibed by the Pcafe, and they thereby much
dilated; the Mercury was alfo forced up the
{lender glafs tube near 80 inches high; in
which ftate the new generated Air in the
bottle was compreffed with a force equal
to more than two Atmofpheres and an half;
if tne bottle and tube were fwung too and
fro, the Mercury would make long vibra-
tions in the tube between = and 9%, which
proves the great elafticity of the compreffed
sir in the bottle.

EXPERIMENT LXXXIX.

I found the like elaftick force by the fol-
iowing Experiment, uzg. I provided a flrong
iron pot aéed Fig. 37. which was2 and4

| ee inches

Analyfis of the Abr. 205
inches diameter within fide; and five inches
deep. I poured into it half an inch depth
of Mercury; then I put a little coloured
honey at x, into the bottom of the glafs-
tube 2 x, which was fealed at the top. I fet
this tube in the iron cylinder 2”, to fave
it from breaking by the {welling of the Peafe.
The pot being filled with Peafeand water,
I put a leathern collar between the mouth
and lid of the pot, which were both ground
even, and then preffed the lid hard down
in a Cyder-prefs: The third day I opened
the pot and found all the water imbibed by
the Peafe; the Honey was forced up the
glafs-tube by the Mercury to 2, (for fo far
the glafs was dawbed) by which means I
found the preflure had been equal to two
atmofpheres and 4; andthe diameter of the
pot being 2 -| + inches, its area was fix
{quare inches, whence the dilating force of
the air againft the lid of the pot was equal
to 189 pounds.

And that the expanfive force of new ge-
nerated air is vaftly fuperior to the power
with which it acted on the Mercury in thefe
two Experiments is plain from the force
with which fermenting Muft will burft the

I ftrongeft

206 Analyfis. of the Air.

ftrongeft veflels; and from the vatt explofis ve
force with which the air generated from
nitre in the firing of gun-powder, wil! burt
afunder the ftrongeft bombs or cannon, and
whirl fortifications into the air.

This fort of mercurial gage, made ufe of

in Experiment 89, with fome un@uous mat-
ter, as Honey, Treacle, or the like, on the
Mercury in the tube, to note how high it
rifes there, might probably be of fervice,
in finding out unfathomable depths of the
Sea, viz. by fixing this {ea-gage to fome
buoyant body which fhould be funk by a
weight fxt to ir, which weight might by
an eafie contrivance be detschel from the
buoyant body, as foon asit touched the bot-
tom of the fca; fothat the buoyant body
and gage would immediately afcend tothe

furface of the water; the buoyant body.

ought to be pretty large, and much lighter
than the water, that by its greater eminence
above the water it might the better be feen;
For ‘tis probable that from great depths it
may rife ata confiderable diftance from the
fhip, tho’ in acalm. re

For greater accuracy it will be needful,

firft to try this fea-gage, at fey eral different

, depths,

a ae

Fey
OT
sess

|
fs

be
/ Cle

é

S:Gribelin

Analyfis of the Aur. 207
depths, down to the greateft depth that a
line will reach, thereby to difcover, whe-
ther or how much the {pring of the air is
difturbed or condenfed, not only by the
ereat preffure of the incumbent water, but
alfo by its coldnefs at great depths; and in
what proportion, at different known depths,
and in different lengths of time , that an al-
lowance may accordingly be made for it
at unfathomable depths.

This gage will alfo readily fhew the de-
grees of comprefiion in the condenfing en-
gine.

But to return to the fubject of the two laft
Experiments, which prove the elafticity of
this new generated air; which elafticity is
fuppofed to coniift in the ative aerial par-
ticles repelling each other with a force,
which is reciprocally proportional to their
diftances. That illuftrious Philofopher, Sir
Lfaac Newton, in accounting how air and
vapour is produced, Opticks Quer. 31. fays,
«¢ The particles when they are fhaken off
‘¢ from bodies by heat or fermentation fo
<< foon as they are beyond the reach of the
** attraction of the body receding from it,
*« as alfo from one another, with great

Le “ ftrength

208: Aualyfis of the Air.
« ftrength and keeping at a diftance, fo a3
< fometimes to take up above a million of
<¢ times more fpace than they did before in
«the form of a denfe body , which vaft
«« contraction and expanfion feems unintel-
«¢ ligible, by feigning the particles of Air
“« to be fpringy and ramous, or rolled up
« like hoops, or by any other means than
“ by a repulfive power.” The truth of
which is further confirmed by thefe Expe-
timents, which fhew the great quantity
of air emitted from fermenting bodies ;
which not only proves the great force with
which the parts of thofe bodies muft be
diftendeds but fhews alfo how very much
the particles of air muft be coiled up in
that ftate, if they are, as has been fuppofed,
ipringy and ramous.
To inftance in the cafe of the pounded
Apples which generated above 48 times
their bulk of Air; this air, when in the Ap-
ples, muft be compreffed into lefs than a
forty eighth part of the fpace it takes up,
when freed from them, and it will con-
fequently be 48 times more denfe; and
fince the force of compreffed air is propor-
tional to its denfity, that force which com- |
| preffes

Analyfis of the Air. 209
preffes and confines this air in the Apples,
mutt be equal to the weight of 48 of our
atmofpheres, when the Mercury in the Ba-
-rometer ftands at fair, that is 30 inches high.

Now a cubick inch of Mercury weigh-
ing 3580 grains, thirty cubick inches (which
is equal to the weight of our atmo{phere on
an area of a cubick inch) will weigh 15
pounds, 5 ounces, 215 grains; and 48 of
them will weigh above 736 pounds; which
is therefore equal to the force with whichan
inch fquare of the furface of the Apple
would comprefs the air, fuppofing there
were no other fubftance but air in the Ap-
ple: And if we take the furface of an Ap-
ple at 16 {quare inches, then the whole
force with which that furface would com-
prefs the included air, would be 11776 pounds,
And fince a@ion and re-adtion are equal, this
would be the force, with which the air in
the Apple would endeavour to expand it felf,
if it were there in an elaftick and ftrongly
compreffed ftate: But fo great an expanfive
force in an Apple would certainly rend the
fubftance of it with a ftrong explofion, ef
pecially when that force was increafed, by
the vigorous influence of the Sun’s: warmth,

P : We

210 ©. Lally is of the Ar.

We may make a like eftimate alfo, from
the great quantities of air which arofe ei-
ther by fermentation, or the force of fire
from feveral other bodies. Thus in Exp. 55.
there arofe from a piece of heart of Oak,
216 times its bulk of air. Now 216 cubick |
inches of air, compreffed into the fpace of -
one cubick inch, would, if it continued there —
in an elaftick ftate, prefs againft one fide of
the cubick inch, with an expanfive force -
equal to 3310 pounds weight, fuppofing
there were no other fubftance but air con-
tained in it; and it would prefs againft the
fix fides of the cube, with a force equal to
19860 pounds, a force fufficient to rend
the Oak with a vaft explofion : ’tis very
reafonable therefore to conclude, that meft
of thefe now aétive particles of the new —
generated air, were in a fix'd flate in the Ap.
ple and Oak before they were roufed, and —
put into an active repelling ftate by fermens —
tation and fire.

The weight of a cubick inch of Apple |
being 191 grains, the weight of a cubick ©
inch of air > of a grain, 48 times that weight |
of air is nearly equal to the fourteenth part
of the weight of the Apple, | |
And |

Analyfis of the Air, 2x

And if to the air thus generated from 4
veflel of any vegetable liquor, by fermenta-
tion, we add the air that might afterwards
be obtained from it, by heat or diftillation ¢
and to that alfo the vaft quantity of air;
which by Experiment 73 is found to be con-
tained in its Tartar, which adheres to the
fides of the veffel; it would by this means
be found that air makes a very confidera-
ble part of the fubftance of Vegetables, as
well as of Animals.

But tho’ from what has been faid, it is
teafonable to think, that many of thefe par-
ticles of air were in a fixt ftate, ftrongly ad
hering to and wrought into tlie fubftance
of Apples; yet on the other handit is mot
evident from Exper. 34 and 38; where in-
numerable bubbles of air inceflantly arofe
through the fap of Vines, that there is a
confiderable quangity of air in Vegetables,
upon the wing; and in a very active flate,
efpecially in warm weather, which enlarges
the {phere of their adtivity.

212 Analy fis of the fur.

The effects of the rabeisandled of mineral

Suoftances on the Air.

| HAVE above fhewn that air may be
‘4& produced from mineral Subftances, by
the action of fire indiftillation. And we have
in the following Experiments many inftan-
ces of the great plenty of air, which is gene-
rated by fome fermenting mixtures, abforbed
by cthers, and by others alternately gene-
rated and abforbed.

ExPERIMENT XC,

I poured upon a middle fized Gold Ring,
beat into a thin plate, two cubick inches
of Agua Regia; the Gold was all diflolved
the next day, when I found 4 cubick in-
ches of air generated; for air bubbles were
continually arifing during the folution: But
fince Gold lofes nothing of its weight in
being thus diflolved , the 4 cubick faces of
air, which weighed more than a grain, muft
arife either out of the pores of the Gold,
or from the Agua Regia, which makes it
probable, that there are air particles in acid

{pirits 5

j

Analyfis of the cir, 213

J
{pirits; for by Experiment 75, they abforb
air, which air particles regained their elafti-
city, when the acid fpirits which adhered to
them were more ftrongly attraéied by the
gold, than by the air particles.

EXPERIMENT XCI.

A quarter of a cubick inch of Antimony,
and two cubick inches of 4gua-regia, gene-
rated 38 cubick inches of air, the firft 3 or
4 hours, and then abforbed 14 cubick in-
ches in an hour ortwo; after which it was
{tationary, till Ilet into the glafs veffel a y
(Fig. 34.) about a quart of frefh air: Upon

which it abforbed fo faft, as to make the
water rife very vifibly in @ y, whereby it ab-

forbed 30 cubick inches more. It is very ob-
fervable, that air was generated while the
ferment was imall, on the firft mixing of the
ingredients: But when the ferment. was
greatly increafed, fo that the fumes rofe
very vifibly, then there was a change made
from a generating toan abforbing Mate ; that
is, there was more air abforbed than gene-
rated. |

Ps That

214 Analyfis of the Air.

That I might find whether the air was ab-
forbed by the fumes only of the Aqua-regia,
or by the acid fulphureous vapours, which
afcended from the Antzmony, I put a like
quantity of gua-regia into a bolthead 6,
(Fig. 34.) and heated it by pouring a large
quantity of hot water into the ciftern x x,
which ftood in a larger veffel, that retained
the hot water about it, but no air was ab-
forbed; for when all was cald, the water
ftood at the point z, where I firft placed it:
Yet in the diftillation of compound Aqua-
fortis, Exper. 75. a little was abforbed. Hence
therefore it is probable, that the greateft
part, if nor all the air, was abforbed by
the fumes, which arofe from the Antimony.

EXPERIMENT XCIL.

Some time in February, the weather very
cold, I poured upon a quarter of a cubick
inch of powdered Antzmony, a cubick inch
of compound or douole Aqua-fortis in the
bolthead 4, ( Fig. 34.) in the firft 20 hours
it generated about 8 cubick inches of air 5
after that, the weather being fomewhat
warmer, it fermentec fafter, fo as in 2 or 3

Tw

Analyfis of the Aur. 215
hours to generate 82 cubick inches of ait
more; but the following night being very
cold, little was generated : So the next morn-
ing I poured hot water into the veffel x x;
which renewed the ferment, fo that it ge-
nerated 4 cubick inches more, in all 130 cu-
bick inches, a quantity equal to 520 times
the bulk of the Antimony.

The fermented mafs looked like Brim-
ftone, and when heated over the fire, there
fublimed into the neck of the bolthead a
red fulphur, and below it a yellow, which
fulphur, as Mr. Boyle obferves, Vol. IIl-
p. 272. cannot be obtained by the bare ac
tion of fire, without being firft well digefted
in oil of Vitriol, or {pirit of Nitre. And by
comparing the quantity of air obtained by
fermentation in this Experiment, with the
quantity obtained by the force of fire in
Exper. 69. we find that five times more air
was generated by fermentation than by fire,.
which fhews fermentation to be a more fub-
tile diffolvent than fire; yet in fome cafes
there is more air generated by fire than by
fermentation. |

Half a cubick inch of os of Antimony,
ha an equal quantity of compound Aqua-

P 4 fortis,

216 Analyfis of the Air.

fortis, generated 36 cubick inches of elaf
tick air, which was all reforbed the follow-
ing day.

EXPERIMENT XCIIL

Some time in February, a quarter of a
cubick inch of fvzmgs of Lrow, and a cubick
inch of compound Agua-fortis, without any
water, did in 4 days abforb 27 cubick inches
of air. Ir having ceafed to abforb, I poured
hot water into the veflel » x, totry if]
could renew the ferment. The effed of this
was, that it generated 3 or 4 cubick inches
of air, which continued in that ftate for
fome days, and was then again reforbed.

l repeated the fame Experiment in warm
weather in 4pr7f, when it more-briskly ab-
forbed 12 cubick inches in an hour.

EXPERIMENT XGIYV.

iMarch 12th, + ofa cubick inch of flings
of Jvez, with a cubick inch of compound
Agua-fortis, and an equal quantity of water,
for the firt half hour abforbed 5 or 6 cubick
inches of air; but in an hour more it had
emitted

Analyfis of the Aur. 217

emitted that quantity of air; and in two
hours more it again reforbed what had been
juft before emitted. The day following it
continued abforbing, in all 12 cubick in-
ches: And then remained ftationary for 15
or 2c hours. The third day it had again re-
mitted or generated 3 or 4 cubick inches
of air, and thence continued ftationary for
five or fix days.

A like quantity of fizngs of Iron, and oil
of Vitriol, made no fenfible ferment, and
generated a very little air ; but upon pouring
in an equal quantity of water, it generated
in 21 days 43 cubick inches of air; and in
3 or 4 days more it reforbed 3 cubick in-
chesofair; when the weather turned warmer
it was generated again, which was again re-
forbed when it grew cool.

4th Of a cubick inch of jiléngs of Iron,
and a cubick inch of o#/ of Vetriol, with |
three times its quantity of Vater, Boece
108 cubick inches of air.

Filings of Iron, with fpirit of Nitre,
either with an equal quantity of water, or
without water, abforbed air, but moft with-
out water.

sth Of

218 Analyfis of the Abr.

4th Of a cubick inch of flings of Iron,
and a cubick inch of Limon juice, abforbed
two cubick inches of air.

It is remarkable, that the fame mixtures
fhould change from generating to ab{orbing,
and from abforbing to generating ftates ;
fometimes with, and fometimes without any
fenfible alteration of the temperature of the

alr,
EXPERIMENT XCV.

Half a cubick inch of /pirits of Harts-
horn, with filings of Iron abforbed 1 -+ 2
cubick inches of air, with filings of Copper
double that quantity of air, and made a
very deep blue tincture, which it retained
long, when expofed to the open air. It was
the fame with /pirzt of Sal Ammontac, and
filings of Copper.

A quarter of a cubick inch of filings of
fron, with a cubick inch of powdered Brzm-
ftone, made into a pafte with a little water,
abforbed 19 cubick inches of air in two days.
WN. B. I poured hot water into the ciftern x x,
(Fig. 24.) to promote the ferment.

A like

Analyfis of the Air. 219

A like quantity of fngs of Iron, and
powdered Newceaftle Coal, did in 3 or 4
days generate 7 cubick inches of air. I could
not perceive any fenfible warmth in this
- mixture, as was in the mixture of row and
Brimftone.

Powdered Brimftone and Neweaftle Coal
neither generated nor abforbed.

Filings of Iron and Water abforbed 3 or
4 cubick inches of air, but they do not ab-
forb fo much when immerfed deep in wa-
ter; what they abforb is ufually the firt 3
or 4 days.

Filings of Iron, and the above mentioned
Walton Pyrites in Exper. 70. abforbed in 4
days a quantity of air nearly equal to dou-
ble their bulk.

Copper Oar, and compound Aqua-fortzs,
neither generated nor abforbed air, but mix-
ed with wafer it abforbed air.

A quarter of a cubick inch of Tim, and
double that quantity of compound Agua-
fortis, generated two cubick inches of air;
part of the Zz was diffolved into a very
white fubitance,

Exe

220 Aualyfis of the Air,

EXPERIMENT XCYI.

April 16th, A cubick inch of the afore-
mentioned Walton Pyrites powder'd, with
a cubick inch of compound Aqua-fortis, ex-
panded with great violence heat and fume
into a {pace equal to 200 cubick inches, and
in a little time it condenfed into its former
{pace, and then abforbed 85 cubick inches
of air. GON

But the like quantity of the fame Mineral,
with equal quantities of compound Aqua-for-
tis and Water, fermented more violently,
and generated above 80 cubick inches of air.
I repeated thefe Experiments feveral times,
both with and without wafer, and found
conftantly the fame effet.

Yet oil of Vitriol and Water, with fome
of the fame Mineral, abforbed air. It was
very warm, but did not make a great ebul-
iition. |

EXPERIMENT XCVIJ.

I chofe two equal fized boltheads, and
put into each of them a cubick inch of
POW=

Analyfis of the Aur. 221
powdered Walton Pyrites, with only a cu-
bick inch of compound Aqua-fortis into one,
and a cubick inch of Water and compound
Agua-fortis into the other: Upon weighing
all the ingredients and vefieis exactly, both
before and after the fermentation, I found
the bolthead with compound Aqua-fortis alone
had loft in fumes 1 dram 5 grains: But the
other bolthead with Water and compound
Aqua-fortis, which fumed much more, had
loft 7 drams, 1 fcruple, 7 grains, which is
fix times as much as the other loft.

ExPERIMENT XCVIII

A cubick inch of Newcaftle Coal pow-
dered, and an equal quantity of compound
Agua-fortis poured on it, did in 3 days
abforb 18 cubick inches of air; and in 3
days more it remitted and generated 12 cu-
bick inches of air; and on pouring warm
qwater into the veflel « x~ (Fig. 34.) it res
mitted all that had been abforbed.

Equal quantities of BSrimjtone and com-
pound Agua-fortzs neither generated nor
abforbed any air, notwithfanding hot wa-
ter was poured into the veffel x x.

Late 3 . A cu:

222 Analyfis of the Air.

A cubick inch of finely powdered Fit;
and an equal quantity of compound Aqua-
| fortis, abforbed in 5 or 6 days 12 cubick

inches of air.

Equal quantities of powdered Bri/fol Dia-«
mond, and compound Aqua-fortis, and Water
abforbed 16 times their bulk of air.

The like quantities without water ab-
forbed more flowly 7 times their bulk of

air.

Powdered Briffol Marble (viz. the thell
in which thofe Déamonds lay) covered
pretty deep with water, neither generated
nor abforbed air; and it is well known that
Briftol water does not fparkle like fome
other Mineral waters.

ExPERiMENT XCIX.

When Agua-regia was poured on Oleum
Tartari per Deliquinm much air was gene-
rated, and that probably chiefly from the
Oleum Tartari; for by Exper. 74. Sal Tar-
tar has plenty of air in it.

It was the fame when of! of Vitriol was
_ poured on OL. Tartari; and O/. Tartari drop-

ped on boyling Zartar generated much air.
When

Analyfis of the Air. 223

When equal quantities of Water and oz
of Vitriol were poured on the fea falt it
abforbed 15 cubick inches of air; but when
in the like mixture the quantity of water —
was double to that of the o¢/ of Vztriol, then
but half fo much air was abforbed.

EXPERIMENT ©;

I will next thew, what effets feveral 4/-
kaline Mineral bodies had on the air in fer-
menting mixtures.

A folid cubick inch of unpowdered Chalk,
with an equal quantity of o7/ of Vztriol, fer-
mented much at firft, and in fome degree
for 3 days; they generated 31 cubick inches
of air. The Chalk was only a little diffolved
on its furface.

Yet Lime made of the fame Chalk abforb-
ed much air; when o7/ of Vitriol was poured
On it, and the ferment fo violent that ic.
breaking the glafs veffels, I was obliged to put
the ingredients in an Lvon vefiel.

Two cubick inches of frefh Lime, and
four of common white wine Vinegar ab-
forbed in.15 days 22 cubick inches of air.

he The.

224 Analyfis of the Air,

The like quantity of frefh Lime and Wa-
ter abforbed in 3 days 10 cubick inches
of air.

Two cubick inches of Lzme, and an equal
quantity of Sa/ Ammoniac abforbed 115 cux
bick inches.

A quart of nateket Live left for 44
days, to flaken gradually by it felf without
any mixture, abforbed no air.

March 34, A cubick inch of powdered
Belemnitis, taken from a C@atk pit, and an
equal quantity of of of Vetriol, generated
in 5 minutes 35 cubick inches of air. March
sth, it had generated 70 more. March oth,
it being a hard froft, it ice 12 cubick
a es fo it generated 1 in‘all 128 inches, and
reforbed 12.

Powdered Belemmnitis and Limon juice ge-
nerated plenty of air too; as did alfo the
Star Stone, Lapis Fudaicus, and Selenstis
with o7/ of Vitriol.

ExpERIMENT Cl,

Gravelled, that is well burnt, Wood-afbes,
decrepitated Salt, and Colcothar of Vitriol,
piacd feverally underthe inverted glafszzaa@

(Fig. 35.)

| Analyfis of the Air, 2A 5.
| (Fig. 35.) increafed in weight by imbibing
the floating moifture of the air: But they

abforbed no elaftick air. It was the fame with
the remaining Axivzous Salt of a diftillation
of Notre.

But 4 or 5 cubick inches of powdered
freth Cynder of Newcaftle Coal did in feven
days abforb 5 cubick inches of elaftick air.
And 13 cubick inches of air were in s days
abforbed by Pulvis Urens, a powder which
immediately kindles into a live Cole, upon
‘being expofed to the open air.

EXPERIMENT CII.

What effect burning and flaming bodies,
and the refpiration of Animals have on the
air, we fhall fee in the following Experi-
ments, U7%. :

I fix'd upon the pedeftal under the inver-
ted clais = 2 aa (Fig. 35.) a piece of
Brown Paper, which had been dipped in a
folution of Nztre, and then well dryed; I
fet fire to the Paper by means of a bur-
ning glafs: The Nitre detonized and burnt
briskly for fome time, till the glafs zz 44
was very full of thick fumes, which extin-

Q guifhed

226 Analyfis of the Aur.

guifhed it. The expanfion caufed by the
burning Nitre, was equal to more than twe
quarts: When all was cool, there was near
so cubick inches of new generated air, which
arofe froma {mall quantity of detonized Nz-
tre ; but the elafticity of this new air daily
decreafed, in the fame manner as Mr. Hauk/-
bee obferved the air of fired Gunpowder to
do, Phyfico-mechanical Exper. p.83. {fo that
he found 19 of 20 parts occupied by this
air to be deferted in 18 days, and its {pace
filled by the afcending water ; at. which fta-
tion it refted, continuing there for 8 days
without alteration: And in like manner, I
found that a confiderable part of the air,
which was produced by fire in the diftil-
lation of feveral fubftances, did gradually
lofe its elafticity in a few days after the
diftillation was over; but it was not fo
when I diftilled air thro’ water, as in Expe-
riment 77: (Fiz. 3.82)

EXPERIMEN ® CII.

I placed on the fame pedeftal large Matches
made of linen rags dipped in melted Brim-
ftone: The capacity of the veffel, (Fig. 35.)
3 ' above

Analyfis of the Aur. 227

above = 2 the furface of the water, was
equal to 2024 cubick inches. The quantity
of air which was abforbed by the burning
Match was 198 cubick inches, equal to 4
part of the whole air in the veffel.

I made the fame Experiment in a leffer
veflel g 2 aa (Fig. 35.) which contained
but 594 cubick inches of air, in which 150
cubick inches were abforbed, z. e. full 4
part of the whole air in the receiver: So
that tho’ more air is abforbed by burning
Matches in large veflels, where they burn
longeft, than in {mall ones, yet more air, in
proportion to the bulk of the veffe!, is ab-
forbed in {mall than in large veffels: If a
frefh Match were lighted, and put into this
infected air, tho’ it would not burn ; pare
of the time that the former Match burnt
in frefh untainted air, yet it would abforb
near as much air in that fhort time; and it
was the fame with Candles. .

EXPERIMENT CIV,

Equal quantities of filings of Iron and
Brimftone, when let fall on a hot Iron on
the pedeftal under the inverted glafs zzaa,

Q2 (Fig. 35.)

228 Analy fis of the Aur.

(Fie. 35.) did in burning abforb much air;
and it was the fame with Antimony and
Lrim/ffone : Whence it is probable, that Val

cano’s, whofe fewel confift chiefly of Brzm-
ffone, mix’d with feveral mineral and me-

taline {ubf@ances, do not generate, but rather
abforb air.

We find in the foregoing Experiment 102
on Nitre, that a great part of the new ge-
nerated air is in a few days reforbed, or
lofes its elafticity: But the air which is ab-
forbed by burning Brim/ffone, or the flame
of a Candle, does not recover its ‘clafticity
again, at leaft, not while confined in my
glafles.

EXPERIMENT CY.

I made feveral attempts to try, whether

air full of the fumes of burning Brzm-_

ftone wasas comprefiible as common frefh
air, by comprefling at the fame time tubes
full of each of thefe airs in the condenfing
engine; and I found that clear air 1s very
little more comprefiibie, than air with fumes
of Brimftone in it: But I could not come to

an exact certainty in the matter, becaufe the
fumes

——s

Analyfis of the chr. 229

fumes Were at the fame time deflroying the
elafticity of the air. I took care to make

‘the air in both tubes of the fame tempera-

ture, by firft immerfing them in cold water,
before I comprefled them.

EXPERIMENT CVI.

I fet a lighted tallow Candle, which was
about & of an inch diameter, under the in-
verted receiver & = 44, (Fig. 35.) and with
a fyphon I immediately drew the water up
to = =: Then drawing out the fyphon, the
water would defcend for a quarter of a mi-
nute, and after that afcend, notwithftand-
ing the Candle continued burning, and heat-
ing the air for near 3 minutes. It was ob-
fervable in this Experiment, that the fur-
face of the water & @ did not afcend with
an equal progreflion, but would be fome-
times ftationary; and it would fometimes
move with a flow, and fometimes with an
accelerated motion ; but the denfer the fumes
the fafter it afcended. As foon as the Can-
dle was out, I marked the height of the
water above 2 s, which difference was e-
qual to the quantity of air, whofe elaf-

Q 3 ticity

230 Aualyfis of the Air.

ticity was deftroyed by the burning Candle.
As the air cooled and condenfed in the re-
ceiver, the water would continue rifing a-
bove that mark, not only till all was cool,
but for 20 or 30 hours after that, which
height it kept, tho’ it ftood many days; which.
fhews that the air did not recover the elafti-
city which it had loft.

The event was the fame, when for grea-
ter accuracy I repeated this Experiment by
lighting the Candle after it was placed un-
der the receiver, by means of a burning glafs,
which fet fire to a {mall piece of brown pa-
per fixed to the wick of the Candle, which
paper had been firft dipped in a ftrong folu-
tion of Nztre in Water, and when well
dryed, part of it was dipped in melted Brzm-
ftone; it will alfo light the Candle without
being dipped in Brzmftone. Dr. Mayow,
found the bulk of the air leflened by # part,
but does not mention the fize of the glafs
veflel under which he put the lighted Can-
dle, ‘De Sp. Nitro-aerco. p. 101. The capa-
city of the veflel above = z, in which the
Candle burnt in my Experiment, was equal
to 2024 cubick inches; and the elafticity of
the 2, part of this air was deftroyed. |

The

Analyfis of the Air. 231

The Candle cannot be lighted again in
this infected air by a burning glafs: But if
I firft lighted it, and then put it into the
fame infeéted air, tho’ it was extinguifhed
in } part of the time, that it would burn in
the fame veflel, full of frefh air; yet it
would deftroy the elafticity of near as much
air in that fhort time, as it did in five times
that {pace of time in frefh airs this 1 re-
peated feveral times, and found the fame
event: Hence a grofs air which is loaded
with vapours, is more apt in equal times to
lofe its elafticity in greater quantities, than
a clear alr. |

I obferve that where the veflels are equal,
and the fize of the Candles unequal, the e-
lafticity of more air will be deftroyed by
the large than by the {mall Candle: And
where Candles are equal, there moft air in
proportion to the bulk of the veffel will
be abforbed in the fmalleft veflel: Tho’
with equal Candles there is always moft
elaftick air deftroyed in the largeft veffel,
where the Candle burns longeft.

I found alfo in fermenting liquors, that
cateris paribus, more air was either gene-
ratcd ox abforbed in large, than in fmall

, Q 4 veflels

wee Analyfis of the Air.

veffels, by generating or abforbing mixtures.
As in the mixture of 4gua regia and Anti-
mony in Experiment 91, by enlarging the
bulk of the air in the veffel, a greater quan-
tity of air was abforbed. . Thus alfo filings
of Iron and Brzm/tone, which in a more ca-
pacious veflel abforbed 19 cubick inches
of air, abforbed very little when the bulk.
of air above the ingredients was but 3 or
4. cubick inches: For I have often obferved,
that when any quantity of air is faturated
with abforbing vapours to a certain degree,
then no more elaftick air is abforbed: Not-
withfanding the fame quantity of abforb-
ing fubfiances would, in a larger quantity
of air, have abforbed much more air; and
this is the reafon why I was never able to
deftroy the whole elafticity of any included
bulk of air, whether it was common air,
Of new generated air.

EXPERIMENT CVI.

May 18, which was a very hot day, I
repeated Dr. M/ayow’s Experiment, to find
how much air is abforbed by the breath of
Animals inclofedin glaffes, which he found

ith a moufe to be 4 part of the whole
air

Analyfis of the Aur. 233
air in the glafs veflel De Sp. Nitro-aerco,
| f 104.

__ I placed on the pedeftal, under the inver-
ted glafs zs 2 aa, (Fig. 35.) a full grown
Rat. At firft the water fubfided a little,
which was occafioned by the rarifaGtion of
the air, caufed by the heat of the Animal’s
body. But after a few minutes the water
began to rife, and continued rifing as long
asthe Rat lived, which was about 14 hours.
The bulk of the Air in which the Rat
lived fo many hours was 2024 cubick inches;
the quantity of elaftick air which was ab-
forbed was 73 cubick inches, above ;*, part
of the whole, nearly what was abforbed
by a Candle in the fame veffel, in Experi-
ment 106.

I placed at the fame time in the fame
manner another almoft half grown Rat
under a veffel, whofe capacity above the
furface of the water 2 & (Fig. 35.) was but.
$94 cubick inches, in which it lived 10
hours; the quantity of elaftick Air which
was abforbed, was equal to 45 cubick
inches, wz. 2; part of the whole air,
which the Rat breathed in: A Cat of 3
months old lived an hour in the fame re-

=

SEVIS
Gest GED

224 Analyfis of the Aur.

ceiver, and abforbed 16 cubick inches of air}
vi%. s» part of the whole; an allowance
being made in this eftimate, for the bulk
of the Cat’s body. A candle in the fame
veffel continued burning but one minute,
and abforbed 54 cubick inches, 4 ip of
the whole air.

And as in the cafe of burning Brim/tone

and Candles, more air was found to be ab-
forbed in large veffels, than in {mall ones;

and vice verfa, more Air in proportion to
the capacity of the veflel was abforbed
in fmall, than in large veffels; fo the fame
holds true here too in the cafe of ani-
mals.

EXPERIMENT CVIII.

The following Experiment will fhew,
that the elafticity of the Air is greatly de-
ftroyed by the re/piration of human LUNES;
Viz.

I made a bladder very fupple by wetting
of it, and then cut off fo much of the neck,
as would make a hole wide enough for the
biggeft end of a large foffet to enter, to which
the bladder was bound faft. The bladder

3 ; and

Analyfis of the Aur. 235

| and foffet contained 74 cubick inches. Hav.

|
|
|

ing blown up the bladder, I put the ee all

end of the foflet into my mouth; and at

the fame time pinched my noftrils clofe
that no air might pafs that way, fo that
I could only breath to and fro the air
contained in the bladder. In lefs than half
a minute I found a confiderable difficulty
in breathing, and was forced after that to
fetch my breath very faft;.and at the end of
the minute, the {uffocating uneafinefs was
fo great, that 1 was forced totake away the
bladder from my mouth. Towards the end
of the minute, the bladder was become fo
flaccid, that I could not blow it above half
full with the greateft expiration that I could
make: And at the fame time I could plain-
ly perceive that my lungs were much fallen,
juft in the fame manner as when we breath
eut of them all'‘the air we can at ‘once.
Whence it is plain that a confiderable quan-
tity of the elafticity of the air contained
in my lungs, and in the bladder was de-
firoyed: Which fuppofing it to be 20 cu-
bick inches, it will be #7; part of the whole
Air, which I breathed to and fro; for the
bladder contained 74 cubick inches, and the

lungs

236 Analyfis of the Air.
lungs by the following Experiment aboue
166 cubick inches, in all 240.

Thefe effects of refpiration on the elafti-
city of the air, put me upon making anat-
tempt to meafure the inward furface of the
lungs , which by a wonderful artifice are
admirably contrived by the divine artificer,
{o as to make their inward furface to be
commenfurate to an expanfe of Air many
times greater than the animal’s body ; as will
appear from the following eftimate, viz.

EXPERIMENT CIX,

I took the lungs of a Calf and cut off
the heart and windpipe an inch above its
branching into the lungs ; I got nearly the
{pecifick gravity of the fubftance of the lungs,
(which is a continuation of the branchings
of the windpipe, and blood veflels) by find-
ing the fpecifick gravity of the windpipe,
which I had cut off; it was to Well-water
as 1.05 to 1, And a cubick inch of water
weighing 254 grains; I thence found by
weighing the lungs the whole of their fo-
lid fubftance to be equal to 37 ++ = cubick
inches.

3 I then

|

Analyfis of the Aur. i

I then filled a large earthen veffel brim
full of water, and put the lungs in, which
I blew up keeping them under water with
a pewter plate. Then taking the lungs out
and letting the plate drop to the bottom of
the water, I poured in a knownquantity of
water, till the veffel was brimful again; that -
water was7 pounds 6 ounces and 3 equal
to 204 cubick inches ; from which deduéts
ing the {pace occupied by the folid fub-
fiance of the lungs, wz. 37 -+- = cubick
inches, there remains 166 ++ + cubick inches
for the cavity of the lungs. But as the Pul-
monary Veins, Arteries and Lymphaticks
will, when they are ina natural ftate re-_
pleat with blood and lymph, occupy more
fpace than they do in their prefent empty
ftate; therefore fome allowance muft al-
fo be made, out of the above taken caviry
of the lungs, for the bulk of thofe fluids ;
for which 25 -+-7 cubick inches feems to
be a fufficient proportion, out of the 166
+ + cubick inches; fo there remains 141
cubick inches for the cavity of the lungs. _
I poured as much water into the Bron-
chie asthey would take in, which was r
pound 8 ounces, equal to 41 cubick inches ;
this

238 Analyfis of the Aur.

this deducted from the above found cavity
of the lungs, there remains 100 cubick inches
for the fum of the cavity of the veficles,

Upon viewing fome of thefe veficles with
a microfcope, a middle fized one feems to
be about vss part of an inch diameter; then
the fum of the furfaces in a cubick inch
of thefe {mall velicles (fuppofing them tobe
fo many little cubes, for they are not {phe-
rical) will be 300 fquare inches; which mul-
tiplied by the fum ofthe cavity of all the
veliclesin the lungs, vzz. 100 cubick inches,
will produce 30000 fquare inches; one
third of which muft be dedu&ted, to make
an allowance for the abfence of two fides
in each little veficular cube, that. there
might be a free communication among
them for the Air to pafs to and fro; fo
there remains 20000 fquare inches for the
fum of the furface of all the veficles.

And the &renchig containing 41 cubick
inches, fuppofing them at a medium to
be cylinders of +. of an inch diameter, their
furface will be 1635 {fquare inches, which
added to the furface of the veficles makes
the fum of the furface of the whole

lungs to be 21635 {quare inches, ofr
bate)

Analyfis of the Ar. 239
150 fquare fect, which is equal to ro times
the furface of a man’s body, which at a me-
dium is computed at 15 fquare feet.

Ihave not had an opportunity to take
in the fame mannerthe capacity and dimen-
fions of human lungs; the bulk of which
Dr. James Keill in his Tentamina Medico-
phyfica, p. 80. found to be equal to 226 cu-
bick inches. Whence he eftimated the fum
of the furface of the veficles to be 21906
{quare inches, which is nearly the fame
with my eftimate of the Calve’s lungs. But
the bulk of human lungs is much more ca-
pacious than 226 cubick inches: For Dr.
Furi, by an accurate Experiment, found
that he breathed out, at one large expirati-
on, 220 cubick inchesof Air; and I found
it nearly the fame, when I repeated the like
Experiment in another manner: So that
there muft be a large allowance made for
the bulk of the remaining Air, which could
not be expired from the lungs; and alfo
for the fubftance of the lungs,

‘Suppofing then, that according to Dr.
Furin’s cttimate (in Mott's Abridgment of
the Philofophical Tranfac. Vol. 1. p. 415.)
we draw in at each common infpiration 40

cubick

240 Analyfis of the Aur.
cubick inches of air, that will be 48000 cu:
bick inches in aa hour, at the rate of 20 in-
fpirations in a minute. A confiderable part
of the clafticity of which air is, we fee
by the foregoing Experiment, conftantly de-
ftroyed, and that chiefly among the vefi-
“eles, where it is charged with much vapour.
But it is not eafie to determine how much
is deftroyed. I attempted to find it out by
the following Experiment, which I fhall here
give an account of, tho’ it did not fucceed
fo well as I could have withed, for want of
much larger veflels; for if it was repeated
with more capacious veffels, it would de-
termine the matter pretty accurately; becaufe
by this artifice frefh air is drawn into the
Jungs at every infpiration, as well as in the
free open air.

EXPERIMENT CX.

I made ufe of the fyphon (Fig. 39.) tak-
ing away the bladders, and diaphragms 2 2
mo: 1 fixed by means of a bladder one
end of a fhort leaden fyphon to the lateral
feflet7z: Then I faftened the large fyphon
in a veficl, and filled i¢ with water, till it

| rofe

Analyfis of the Aur. 241
rofe within two inches of a and covered
the other open end of the fhort.fyphon, |
which was depreffed for that purpofe. Over
this orifice I placed a large inverted chymi-
cal receiver full of water; and over the
other legos of the great fyphon, I whelmed
another large empty receiver, whofe capacity
was equal to 1224 cubick inches ; the mouth
of the receiver being immer(fed in the water,
and gradually let down lower and lower by
an afliftant, as the water afcended in it. Then
ftopping my noftrils, I drew in breath at a,
thro’ the fyphon from the empty receiver:
And when that breath was expired, the va!-
ve 62 ftopping its return down thro’ the fy-
phon, it was forced thro’ the valve r, and
thence thro’ the {mall leaden fyphon into
the inverted receiver full of water, which
water def{cended asthe breath afcended. In
this manner I drew all the air, except 5 or
6 cubick inches, out of the empty receiver at
o, the water at the fame time afcending
into it and filling it; by which means all
the air in the empty receiver, as alfoall the
air in the fyphon os 6, was infpired into
my lungs, and breathed ont thro’ the valve
y jnto the receiver, which was at firft full

R of

242 Mnalyfis of the Air.

of water. I marked the boundary of air
and water, and then immerfed the whole
receiver, Which had the breath in it, under
water, and there gradually poured the con-
tained breath up into the other full receiver,
which ftood inverted over 0 5; whereby I
could readily find, whether the air had loft
any of its elafticity : And for greater furety,
I alfo meafured the bulk of breath by filling
the receiver with a known quantity of water
up to the above mentioned mark; making
alfo due allowance for a bulk of air, equal
to the capacity of the large fyphon oa s 6,
which was at laft fucked full of water.

The event was, that there was 18 cubick
inches of air wanting ; but as thefe receivers
were much too {mall to make the Experi-
ment with accuracy; that fome allowance
may be made for errors, I will fet the lofs
of elaftick air at 9 cubick inches, which is
but + part of the whole air refpired, which
Will amount to 353 cubick inches in one
hour, or 100 grains, at the rate of 48000
cubick inches infpired in an hour, or one
ounce and a half in twenty four hours.

By pouring the like quantity of air to and
fro under water, I found that little or none

of

Analyfis of the Air. 243

of it was loft; fo it was not abforbed by
the water : To make this tryal accurately, the
air muft be detained fome time under water,
to bring it firfttothe fame temperature with
the water. Care alfo muft be taken in mak-
ing this Experiment, that the lungs be in the
fame degree of contraction, at the laft breath-
ing, as at the firft, elfe a confiderable error
may arife from thence.

But tho’ this be not an exact eftimate, yet
it is evident from the foregoing Experiments
on refpiration, that fome of the elafticity of
the air, which is infpired, is deftroyed; and
that chiefly among the veficles, where it is
moft loaded with vapours; whence probably
fome of it, together with the acid {pirits,
with which the air abounds, are conveyed
to the blood, which we fee is by an admi-
rable contrivance there {pread into a vaift
expanfe, commenfurate to a very large fur-
face of air, from which it is parted by very
thin partitions; fo very thin, as thereby
probably to admit the blood and air particles
(which are there continually changing from
an elaftick to a firongly attrafting ftate)
within the rach of each other’s attraction,

R 2 whereby

244 Analy fis of the Air.

whereby a continued fucceflion of frefh air
may be abforbed by the blood.

And in the analyfis of the blood, either
by fire or fermentation in Exper. 49 and 80,
we find good plenty of particles ready to re-
fume the elaftick quality of air: But whe-
ther any of thefe air particles enter the |
blood by the lungs, is not eafie to deter- |
mine; becaufe there is certainly great ftore
of air in the food of animals, whether it be
vegetable or animal food. Yet when we
confider how much air continually lofes
its elafticity in the lungs, which feem pur-
pofely framed into innumerable minute me-
anders, that they may thereby the better
feize, and bind that volatile Hermes: It
- makes it very probable, that thofe particles
which are now changed from an elaftick re-
pulfive, to a ftrongly attra@ting ftate, may
eafily be attracted thro’ the thin partition of
the veficles, by the fulphureous particles
which abound in the blood.

And nature feems to make ufe of the like
artifices in vegetables, where we find that
air is freely drawn in; not,only with the
principal fund of nourifhment at the root,

but

Analy fis of the “ur. 245

but alfo thro’ feveral parts of the body of
the vegetable above ground, which air was
feen to afcend inan elaftick ftate moft frecly
and vifibly thro’ the larger trachee of the
Vine; and is thence doubtlefs carried with
the fap into minuter veffels, where being
intimately united with the fulphureous, fa-
line and other particles, it forms the nutri-
tive dudtile matter, out of which all. the
parts of vegetables do grow.

EXPERIMENT CX.

It is plain from thefe effects of the fumes
of burning Brim/ffone, lighted Candle, and
the breath of Animals on the elafticity of
the air, that its elafticity in the veficles of
the lungs muft be continually decreafing,
by reafon of the vapours it is there loaded
with ; fo that thofe veficles would in a lit-
tle time fubfide and fall flat, if they were
not frequently replenifhed with frefh elaf-
tick air at every infpiration, thro’ which the
inferior heated vapour and air afcends, and
leaves room for the frefh air to defcend in-
to the veficles, where the heat of the lungs
make it perpen about $ part ; which degree

KR 3 of:

246 Analyfis of the Aw.

of expanfion of a temperate air, I found by
inverting a fmall glafs bubble in water, a
little warmer than a Thermometer is, by ha-
ving its ball held fome time in the mouth,
which may reafonably be taken for the de-
sree of warmth in the cavity of the lungs.
When the bubble was cool, the quantity
of water imbibed by it was equal to % of
the cavity of the whole bubble. |

But when inftead of thefe frequent re-
crnits of frefh air, there is infpired an air,
furcharged with acid fumes and vapours,
which not only by their acidity contra& the
exquifitely fenfible veficles, but alfo by their
grof{nefs much retard the free ingrefs of the
air into the veficles, many of which are ex-
ceeding fmall, fo as not to be vifible with-
Out a microfcope; which fumes are alfo con-
tinually rebating the elafticity of that air,
then the air in the veficles, will by Exp. 107
and 108 lofe its elafticity very faft, and con-
fequently the veficles will fall flat, notwith-
fianding the endeavours of the extending
Thorax to dilate them as ufual; whereby
the motion of the blood thro’ the lungs, be-
ing ftopped, inftant death enfues.

Which

Analyfis of the Air. 247

Which fudden and fatal effect of thefe
noxious vapours, has hitherto been fuppofed
to be wholly owing to the lofs and wafte of
the vivifying fpirit of air; but may not
unreafonably be alfo attributed to the lofs
of a confiderable part of the air’s elafticity,
and the groffnefs and denfity of the vapours,
which the air is charged with; for mutu-
ally attracting particles, when floating in fo
thin a medium as the air, will readily coa-
lefce into groffer combinations: Which
effe& of thefe vapours, having not been duly
obferved before , it was concluded, that
they did not affect the air’s elafticity ; and
that confequently, the lungs muft needs be
as much dilated in infpiration by this, as
by a clear air.

But that the lungs will not rife, and di-
late as ufual, when they draw in fuch noxi-
ous air, which decreafes faft in its elafticity,
I was affured by the Experiment I made on
my felf in Exper. 107. for when towards
the latter end of the minute, the fuffocating
quality of the air in the bladder was grea-
teft, it was with much difficulty’ that I
could dilate my lungs a very little.

R 4 From

248 Analyfis of the Air.

From this property in the vapours, arifing
from animal bodies, to rebate and deftroy
part of the elafticity of the air, a probable
account may be given, of what becomes of
a redundant quantity of air, which may at
any time have gotten into the cavity of the
Thorax ; either by a wound,or by fome defect
in the fubftance of the lungs, or by very
violent exercife. Which if it was to con-
tinue always in that expanded ftate, would
very much incommode refpiration, by hin-
dering thedilatation of the lungs in infpira-
tion. But if the vapours, which do con-
tinually arife in the cavity of the Thorax,
deftroy fome part of the elafticity of the air,
then there will be room for the lungs to
heave: And probably, it is in the fame man-
ner, that the winds are reforbed, which in
their claftick ftate fly from one part of the
body or limbs to another, caufing by their
ciftention of the veffels much pain.

EXPERIMENT CXII.

Ihave by the following Experiment found,
that the air will pafs here and there thro’ the

fubftance of the lungs, with a very {mall
force, U7Z. I cut

Analyfis of the Aur. 249

I cut afunder the bodies of feveral young
and {mall anzmals juft below the Diaphragm,
and then taking care not to cut any veffel
belonging to the lungs, I layed the Thorax
open by taking away the “Diphragm, and
fo much of the ribs, as was needful to ex-
pofe the lungs to full view, when blown
up. And having cut off the head, I faftned
the windpipe to a very fhort inverted leg of
a glafs fyphon; and then placed the inver-
ted lungs and fyphon in a large and deep
glafs veffel x full of water (Fig. 32.) un-
der the air pump recciver p p, and pafling
the longer leg of the fyphon thro’ the top of
the receiver, where it was cemented faft at
z, as 1 drew the air out of the receiver, the
lungs dilated, having a free communica-
tion with the outward air, by means of the
glafs fyphon; fome of which air would
here and there pafs in a few places thro’
the fubftance of the lungs , and rife in {mall
fireams thro’ the water, when the receiver
was exhaufted no more than to make the
Mercury in the gage rife lefs than two inch-
es. When I exhaufted the receiver, fo as
to raife the Mercury 7 or 8 inches, tho’ it
made the air rufh with much more violence
thro’

250 Analyfis of the Abr.

thro’ thofe {mall apertures in the furface
of the lungs, yet I did not perceive that the
number of thofe apertures were increafed,
or at leaft very little. An argument that
thofe apertures were not forcibly made by

exhaufting the receiver lefs than two inches,
but were originally in the live animal ; and |
that the lungs of living animals are fome- |

times raifed with the like force, efpecially

in violent exercife, I found by the follow; |

ing Experiment, viz.

EXPERIMENT CXIIL

Ityed down alive Dog on his back, near the
edge of a Table, and then made a {mall hole
thro’ the intercoftal mufcles into his Zho-
rax, near the Diaphragm. 1 cemented faft
into this hole the incurvated end ofa glafs

tube, whofe orifice was covered with a lit- |

tle cap full of holes, that the dilatation of |
the Iungs might not at once ftop the ori- |
fice of the tube. A fmall vial full of {pirit |
of Wine was tyed to the bottom of the |
perpendicular tube, by which means the |
tube and vial could eafily yield to the mo- |

tion of the Dog’s body, without danger of |

breaking

;
i
t
f

Analyfis of the Aur. 251

_ breaking the tube, which was 36 inches long.
| The event was, that in ordinary in{pirations,
the fpirit rofe about fix inches in the tube;
but in great and laborious infpirations, it
would rife 24 and 30 inches, vz. when I
_ ftopped the Dog’s noftrils and mouth, fo that
he could not breathe: This Experiment fhews
the force with which the lungs are raifed by
the dilatation of the T/orax, either in ordi-
nary or extraordinary and laborious in{pira-
tions. When I blew air with fome force in-
to the Thorax, the Dog was juft ready to
expire.

By means of another fhort tube, which
had a communication with that which was
fixed to the Thorax near its infertion into
the Thorax, I could draw the air out of the
Thorax, the height of the Mercury, inftead
of fpirit in the tube, fhewing to what degree
the Thorax. was cxhaufted of air : Ehe Mer-
cury was hereby, raifed nine inches, which
would gradually fubfide as the air got into
the Thorax thro’ the lungs. !

Ithen layed bare the windpipe, and ha-
ving cut it off a little below the Larynx, I
affixed to it a bladder full of air, and then
continued fucking air out of the Thorax,

with

252 Analyfis of the Air.

with a force fufficient to keep the lungs
pretty much dilated. As the Mercury fub-
fided in the gage, Irepeated the fuétion for
a quarter of an hour, till a good part of the
air in the bladder was either drawn thro’
the fubftance of the lungs into the Thorax,
or had loft its elafticity. When I preffed the
bladder, the Mercury fubfided the fafter; the
Dog was all the while alive, and would
probably have lived much longer, if the
Experiment had been continued ; as is likely
from the following Experiment, vz.

EXPERIMENT CXIV.

I tyed a middle fized Dog down alive on

a table, and having layed bare his windpipe,
I cut it afunder juft below the Larynx, and
fixed faft to it the fmall end of a common
foffet; the other end of the foffet had a
large bladder tyed to it, which contained
162 cubick inches ; and to the other end of
the bladder was tyed the great end of ano-

‘ther foffet, whofe orifice was covered with
a valve, which opened inward, fo as to ad-
mit any air that was blown into the bladder,
but none could return that way; yet for fur-
ther

Analyfis of the Air. 253

ther fecurity, that paflage was alfo ftopped
with a {piggot.

As foon as the firft foffet was tyed faft to
the windpipe, the bladder was blown full of
air thro’ the other foffet ; when the Dog had
breathed the air in the bladder to and fro .
for a minute or two, he then breathed very
faft, and fhewed great unealine{s, as being
almoit fuffocated.

Then with my hand I preffed the blad-
derhard, fo asto drive the air into his lungs
with fome force; and thereby make his 46-
domen rife by the preffure of the Dzaphragm,
as in natural breathings : Then taking alter-
nately my hand off the bladder, the lungs
with the Abdomen fubfided ; I continued in
this manner, to make the Dog breathe for
an hour; during which time I was ob-
liged to blow frefh air into the bladder every
five minutes, three parts in four of that air
being either abforbed by the vapours of the
lungs, or e{caping thro’ the ligatures, upon
my prefling hard on the bladder.

During this hour, the Dog was frequently
near expiring whenever I preffed the air
but weakly into his lungs; as I found by
his pulfe, which was very plain to be fele

in

254 Analyfis of the Air.
in the great crural artery near the groin;
which place an afliftant held his finger on
moft part of the time; but the languid pulfe
was quickly accelerated, fo as to beat faft ;
foon after I dilated the lungs much, by pref-
fing hard upon the bladder, efpecially when
the motion of the lungs was promoted by
prefling alternately the Abdomen and the
bladder, whereby both the contraGtion and
dilatation of the lungs was increafed.

And I could by this means roufe the Jan-
guid pulfe whenever I pleafed, not only at
the end of every 5 minutes, when more air
was blown into the bladder from a man’s
lungs, but alfo towards the end of the 5
minutes, when the air was fulleft of fumes.

At the end of the hour, I intended to try
whether I could by the fame means have
Kept the Dog alive fome time longer, when
the bladder was filled with the fumes of bur- ©
ning Brimjtone: But being obliged to ceafe ©
for a little time from prefling the air into |
his lungs, while matters were preparing for |
thisadditional Experiment, inthe meantime
the Dog dyed, which might otherwife have
lived longer, if I had continued to force the
air into his lungs.

Now,

Analyfis of the Aur. 255

Now, tho’ this Experiment was fo fre-
quently difturbed, by being obliged to blow
more air into the bladder twelve times du-
ting the hour; yet fince he was almoft fuf-
focated in lefs than two minutes, by breath-
ing of himfelf to and fro the firft air in the
bladder, he would by Experiment 106 on
Candles, have dyed in lefs than two minutes,
when one fourth of the old air remained
in the bladder, immediately to taint the
new admitted air from a man’s lungs; fo
that his continuing to live thro’ the whole
hour, muft be owing to the forcible dilata-
tion of the lungs, by comprefling the blad-
der, and not to the uzusfying fpirit of air.
For without that forcible dilatation, he had,
after the firft 5 or 10 minutes, been certainly
dead in lefs than a minute, when his pulfe was
fo very low and weak, which I did not
find to be revived barely by blowing 3
parts in 4 of new air from the lungs of a
“man into the bladder: But it was conftant-
ly roufed and quickned, whenever I increafed
the dilatations of the lungs, by comprefling
the bladder more vigoroufly ; and that whe-
ther it was at the beginning or end of each
§ minutes, yet it was more cafily quickned,

4 when

256 Analbyfis of the Air.

when the bladder was at any time newly
filled, than when it was near empty.

From thefe violent and fatal effe@s of
very noxious vapours on the refpiration and
life of animals, we may fee how the refpi-
yation is proportionably incommoded, when
the air is loaded with leffer degrees of va-
pours, which vapours do in fome meafure
clog and lower the air’s elafticity ; which it
beft regains by having thefe vapours dif-
pelled by the ventilating motion of the
free open air, which is rendered wholefome
by the agitation of winds: Thus what we
call a clofe warm air, fuch as has been long
confined in a room, without having the va-
pours in it carried off by communicating
with the open air, is apt to give us more
or lefs uneafinefs, in proportion to the quan-
tity of vapours. which are floating in it.
For which reafon the German ftoves, which
heat the air in a room without a free
admittance of frefh air to carry off the va-
pours that are raifed, as alfo the modern
invention to conyey heated air into rooms
thro’ hot flues, feem not fo well contrived,
to favour a free refpiration, as our common
method of fires in open chimneys, which

4. | fires

Aualyfis of the Aur. 257
fires are continually carrying a large ftream
of heated air out of the rooms up the chime
ney, which ftream muft neceffarily be fup-
plied with equal quantities of frefh air,
thro’ the doors and windows, or the cranics
of them.

And thus many of thofe who have weak
lungs, but can breath well enough in the
frefh country air, are greatly incommoded
in their breathing, when they come into
large cities where the air ts full of fuliginous

vapours, arifing from innumerable coal fires,

and ftenches from filthy lay-ftalls and fewers:
And even the moft robuft and healthy in
changing from a city to a country air, find
an exhilarating pleafure, arifing from a more
free and kindly infpiration, whereby the
lungs being lefs loaded with condenfing air
and vapours, and thereby the veficles more
dilated, with a clearer and more claftick
air, a freer courfe is thereby given to the
blood, and probably a purer air mixed with
it; andthis is one reafon why in the coun-
my a ferene dry conttitution of the air is

more exhilarating than a moift thick air.
And for the fame reafon, “tis no wonder,
that peftilential, and other noxious epide-
S mical

el
VY

258 Aualyfis of the Arr.

mical infe@ions are conveyed by the breath
tothe blood (when we confider what great
quantities of the airy vehicle lofes its ela-
fticity among the veficles, whereby the in-
fectious Mza/ma is lodged in the lungs.
When I refle&t on the great quantities
of elaftick air, which are deftroyed by bur-
ning fulphur; it feems to me not improba-
ble, that when an animial is killed by light-
ning without any vifible wound, or imme-
diate ftroke, that it may be done by the
air’s elafticity, being inftantly deftroyed by
the fulphureous lightning near the animal,
whereby the Jungs will fall flat, and caufe
fudden death; which is further confirmed
by the flatnefs of the lungs of animals thus
killed by lightning, their veficles being found
upon difleétion to be fallen flat, and to have
no air in them: The burfting alfo of glafs
windows outwards, feems to be from the
fame effect of lightning on the air’s elaf-
ticity. =
It is likewife by deftroying the air’s elaf
ticity in fermented liquors, that lightning
renders them flat and vapid: Fer fince ful-
phureous fteams held near or under veffels
will check redundant fermentation, as well
as

Analyfis of the Air, 259
as the putting of fulphureous mixtures into
the liquor, ‘tis plain, thofe fteams can eafily
penetrate the wood of the containing vef-
fels. No wonder then, that the more fub-
tile lightning fhould have the like effe&. I
know not whether the common practice of
Jaying a bar of iron on a veffel, be a good
prefervative againft the ill effects of lightning
on liquors I fhould think that the covering
a veflel with a large cloth dipped in a ftrong
brine, would be a better prefervative; for
falts are known to be ftrong attracters of
fulphur.

The certain death which comes on the ex-
plofion of Mines, feems to be effetted in
the fame manner: For tho’ at firft there is
a great expanfion of the air, which muft
dilate the lungs, yet that air is no fooner
filled with fuliginous vapours, but a good
deal of its elafticity is immediately deftroyed :
As in the cafe of burning Matches in Ex-
periment 103, the heat of the flame at firft
expanded the air; but notwithftanding the
flame continued burning, it immediately
contracted, and loft much of its elafticity,
as foon as fome quantity of fulphureous

ficams afcended in it.
SZ W hich

260 Analy fis of the Aur.

Which fteams have doubrlefs the fame
effect on the air, in the lungs of Animals
held over them; asin the Grotto di cani,
or when a clofe room is filled with them,
where they certainly fuffocate.

It is found by Experiments 103, 106,
and 107, that an air greatly charged with
vapours lofes much of its elaflicity, which
-is the reafon why fubterrancous damps fuf-
focate Animals, and extinguifh the flame of
Candles. And by Experiment 106, we fee
that the fooner a Candle goes out, the faft-
er the air lofes its elafticity.

EXPERIMENT CXV.

This put me upon attempting to find fome
means to qualify and rebate the deadly noxi- ,
ous quality of thefe vapours : And in order
to it, I put thro’ the hole, in the top of the
air pump receiver (Fig. 32.) which con-
tained two quarts, cone leg of an iron fyphon
made of a gun barrel, which reached near
to the bottom of the receiver: It was ce-
mented faft at z, I tyed three folds of wool-
Jen cloth over the orifice of the fyphon,
which was in the receiver. The Candle went’
out in lefs than two minutes, tho’ I conti- |

4 nued

Analyfis of the Air. 261

nued pumping all the while, and the air
pafled fo freely thro’ the folds of cloth in-
to the receiver, that the Mercury in the
gage did not rife above an inch.

When I put the other end of the fyphon
into a hotiron pot, with burning Brim/ffone
in it; upon pumping, the Candle went out
in 15 feconds of a minute ; but when I took
away the 3 folds of cloth, and drew the
fulphureous ftcams thro’ the open fyphon,
the light of the Candle was inftantly extin-
guifhed; whence we fee the 3 folds of cloth
preferved the Candle alight 15 “. And where
the deadly quality of vapours in Mines is
not fo ftrong as thefe fulphurcous ones were,
‘the drawing the breath thro’ many folds of
woollen cloth may be a means to preferve
life a little longer, in proportion to the more
or lefs noxious quality of the damps.

When, infiead of the 3 folds of cloth, I
immerfed the end of the fyphon 3 inches
deep in water in the veffel w, (Fig. 32.) tho’
upon pumping the fulphureous fumes did
afcend vifibly thro’ the water, yet the Can-
dle continued burning half a minute, z.e. dou-
ble the time that it did when fumes pafied

thro’ folds cf woollen cloth.
7 S 3 Ex-

262 Analyfis of the Air.

EXPERIMENT CXVI.

I bored a hole in the fide of a large wooden
foffet a4, (Fig. 39.) and glewed into it the
great end of another foffet #z, covering the
orifice with a bladder valve r: Then I fit-
ted a valve 8 z, to the orifice of the iron
fyphon ff; fixing the end of the fyphon
faft at 6 into the foflet 24: Then by means
of narrow hoops I placed four Dzaphragms
of flannel at half an inch diftance from each
other, into the broad rim of a fieve, which
was about 7 inches diameter. The fieve was
fixed to, and had a free communication with
both orifices of the fyphon, by means of
two large bladders in no.

The inftrument being thus prepared, pinch-
ing my noftrils clofe, when I drew in breath
with my mouth at a, the valve z 6 being
thereby lifted up, the air paffed freely thro
the fyphon from the bladders, which then
{ubfided, and fhrunk confiderably : But when
I breathed air out of my lungs, then the
valve z 6 clofing the orifice of the fyphon, the -
, alr paffed thro’ the valve r into the blad-
ders, and thereby dilaced them; by which

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Analyfis of the Aur. 263
artifice the air which I expired muft necef-
farily pafs thro’ all the Dzaphragms, before
it could be infpired into my lungs again.
The whole capacity of the bladders and {y-
phon was 4 or 5 quarts.

Common fea falt, and Sa/ Totes being
ftrong imbibers of fulphureous fteams, I dip-
ped the four Diaphragms in firong folu-
tions of thofe falts, as alfo in white wine
vinegar, which is looked upon as a goad
anti-peftilential: Taking care after each of
thefe Experiments to cleanfe the fyphon
and bladder well from the foul/air, by fil-
ling them with.water.

I could breath ‘too and fro the air inclofed
in this infrument for a minute and half,
when there‘ were no Diaphragms i in it; when
the 4 Diaphragms were dipped in vinegar,
3 minutes ; whetkdipped i in a ftrong folution
»-of fea falt, 3. minutes and/an half. In.a Lixi-
vium of Sal Tartar, 3 minutes; when the
‘Diaphragms were dipped in the like Lixi-
vium, and then well dryed, 5 minutes; and
once 8 -++ + minutes, with very highly cal-
cined Sal Tartar ; but whether this was ow-
ing to the Zartar’s being greatly calcined,
whereby it might more ftrongly attrac ful-

S 4 phureous.

2164 Analyfis of the Air.

phureous grofs vapours, or whether it was
occafioned by fome unheeded paffage for the
air thro’ the ligatures, I am uncertain; nei-
ther did I care to afcertain the matter by re-
peated Experiments, fearing I might thereby
fome way injure my lungs, by frequently
breathing in fuch grofs vapours.

Hence Sal Tartar fhould be the beft pre-
fervative againft noxious vapours, as being a
very ftrong imbiber of fulphureous, acid and
watry vapours, as is fea falt alfo: For ha-
ving carefully weighed the 4 Diaphragms,
before I fixt them in the inftrument, I found
that they had increafed in weight 30 grains
in five minutes; and it was the fame in two
different tryals; fo they increafed in weight
at the rate of I9 Ounces in 24 hours. From
which deducting ~ part for the quantity of
moifture, which I found thofe ‘Dzaphragms
attracted in 5 minutes in the open air; there
remains t5 -+ # ounces, for the weight of
the moifture from the breath in 24 hours:
But this is probably too great an allowance,
confidering that the ‘Diphragms might at-
tract more than 2 part from the moifture of
the bladders and of the fyphon.

I have

Analyfis of the Aur. 265

I have found that when the Diaphragms
had fome fmall degree of dampnefs, they
increafed in weight fix grains in 3 minutes;
but they made no increafe in weight jn
the fame time, when in the open air: which
fix grains in 3 minutes, is at the rate of a-
bout 6 +- + ounces in 24 hours; and this
is nearly the fame proportion of moifture
that I obtained by breathing into a large
receiver full of {fpunges. Burt the 6 grains
imbibed by the four Dzaphragms in 3 mi--
nutes, was not near all the vapours which
were in that bulk of inclofed air; for at
the end of the 3 minutes, the often refpi-
red air was fo loaded with vapours, whicle
in that floating ftate were cafily, by their
mutual attraction, formed into combina-
tions of particles, too grofs to enter the mi_
nute veficles of the lungs, and was therefore
unfit for refpiration ; fo that it is not eafic
to determine what proportion is carried off
by refpiration, efpecially confidering that
fome of the infpired air, which has loft its
ejafticity in the lungs, is mingled with it.
But fuppofing 6 + + ounces to be the quan-
tity of moifture carried off by refpiration
in 24 hours, then the furface of the lungs
| being

266 Analyfis of the Air:

being kanes as above 21635 fquare inches
only - part of an inch depth, will be
_ evaporated off their inward furface in that
“time, which is but ;4 part of the depth of
what is perfpired off the furface of a man’s
body in that time.

If then life can by this means be fup-
ported for 5 minutes with 4 Dzaphragms
and a gallon of air, then doubtlefs, with
double that quantity ofair and 8 Diaphragms
we might well expect to live at leaft ro
minutes. It was a confiderable difadvantage
that I was obliged to make ufe of bladders,
which had been often wetted and dried, fo
that the unfavory fumes from them muft
needs have contributed much to the unfitting
the included air for refpiration: Yet there
isa neceflity for making ufe of either blad-
der or leather in thefe cafes; for we can-
not breath to and fro the air of a veffel, —
whofe fides will not dilate and contra in
conformity with the expirations and in-
{pirations, unlefs the veffel be very large, and
too big to be conveniently portable.

Having {topped up the wide fucking orifice ©
of a large pair of kitchen bellows, they be-
ing firft dilated, I could breathe to and fro

at

Analyfis of the Air. es,

at their nofe, theair contained in them for
3 minutes, without much inconvenience,
they heaving and falling very eafily by the
action of refpiration. Some fuch like in-
ftrument might be of ufe in any cafe where
a room was filled with {uffocating vapours, -
where it might be necefflary to enter for
a few minutes, in order to remove the
caufe of them, or to fetch any perfon or
thing out ; as in the cafe when honfes are
firft beginning to fire, in the chymifts ela-
boratories; and in many other cafes where
places were filled with noxious deadly va-
pours, as inthe cafe of ftink pots thrown
into fhips, in mines, gre.

But in every apparatus of this kind great
care muft always be taken, that the inf{pira-
tion be as free as poffible, by making large
paffages and valves to play moft eafily. For
tho’ aman by a peculiar a¢tion of his mouth
and tongue may fuck Mercury 22 inches,
and fome men 27 or 28 high; yet I have
found by experience, that by the bare in.
fpiring ation of the Diaphragm, and dilat-
ing Thorax, 1 could fcarcely raife the Mer-
eury 2 inches. At which time the Dyza-
phragm muftact with a force equal to the

weight

268 Analyfis of the Air.

weight of a Cylinder of Mercury, whofe bafe
is commenfurate to the area of the ‘Dia-
phragm, and its height 2 inches, whereby the
Diaphragm mut at that time fuftain a
weight equalto many pounds. Neither are
its counter-acting mufcles, thofe of the 4bdo-
men, able to exert a greater force.

For notwithftanding a man, by ftrongly
comprefling a quantity of air included in his
mouth, may raife a column of Mercury in
an inverted fyphon, to 5 or 7 inches height,
yet he cannot with his utmoft ftrainings
raife it above 2 inches, by the contracting
force of the mufcles of the Abdomen;
whence we fee that our loudeft vociferations
are made with aforceof air nogreater than
this. So that any fmall impediment in
breathing will haften the {uffocation, which
confifts chiefly in the falling flat of the
lungs, occafioned by the grofinefs of the
particles of a thick noxious air, they being
in that floating ftate moft eafily attratted by
each other: As we find in the foregoing
experiments that fulphur and the elaftick
repelling particles of air do: And confe-
quently unelaftick, fulphureous, faline and
other floating particles will moft eafily

-_coalefee,

me

/

Analyfis of the Air. 269

coalefce, whereby they are rendred too grofs
to enter the minute velicles; which are alfo
much contracted, as well by the lofs of the
elafticity of the contained air, as by the con-
traction occafioned by the flimulating, acid,
fulphureous vapours. And ’tis not impro-
bable that one great defign of nature, in the
firucture of this important and wonderful
vifcus, was to frame its veficles fo very
minute, thereby effectually to hinder the
ingrefs of grofs feculent particles, which
might be injurious to the animal oeconomy.
This quality of falts ftrongly to attraé
fulphureous, acid and other noxious particles,
might make them very beneficial to man-
kind in many other refpects. Thus in fe-
yeral unwholfome trades, as the fmelters
of metals, the cerufs-makers, the plumbers,
gre. it might not unlikely be of good {exvice
to them in preferving them in fome meafure
at leaft, from the noxious fumes of the ma-
terials they deal in, which by many of the
foregoing experiments we are affured muft
needs coalefce with the elaftick air in the
Jungs, and be lodged there; to prevent
which inconvenience the workmen might;
while they are at work, make ufe of pretty
broad

270 Analyfis of the fur.

broad mufflers, filled with 2,4, or more
Diaphragms of flannel or cloth dipped in —
a folution of Sa/ Tartar, or Pot-afb, or Sea
Salt and then dryed.

The like mufflers might alfo be of fervice
in many cafes where perfons may have urgent
occafion to go fora fhort time into an in-
fectious air: Which mufflers might, by an
eafy contrivance, be fo made as-to draw
in breath thro’ the Dzaphragms, and to
breathe it out by another vent.

In thefe andthe like cafes this kind of
mufflers may be very ferviceable; but in
the cafe of the damps of mines they are by ~
mo means to be depended on, becaufe they
are not a fufficient fcreen from fo very

noxious vapours.

EXPERIMENT CXVIL.

We have from the following Experiment
a good hint, to make thefe Salts of fervice
tousin fome other refpetts, oc.

i feta lighted Candle under a large re-
ceiver (Fig. 35.) which contained about
4 gallons, it continued burning for 3 +-¢

minutes, in which time it had abforbed about
a

Analyfis of the Air. 271
= oe of air. I then filled the receiver
with frefh air, by pouring it full ‘of water,
and then emptying of it; when having wiped

it dry, I lined “all the infide with a
piece of flannel dipped in a lixivium of Sa/
Tartar, and then dryed; the flannel was ex-
tended with little hoops made of pliant twigs.
The Candle continued burning under the re-
ceiver thus prepared 3 -+- 3 minutes, yet it
abforbed but two thirds of the quantity of
air, wjfich it abforbed when there was no

flangic in the receiver.
The reafon of which difference in the
, quantities of elaftick air abforbed, appears
"from Experiment 106. where leaft air was
always abforbed in leaft receivers, which
was the prefent cafe: For the flannel lining,
befides the {pace it took up, could not be fo
clofely adapted, but that there was left a full
third of the capacity of the receiver, between
the lining and the receiver: So that the
Candle burnt in a bulk of air lefS by one
third thanthe whole capacity ofthe receiver;
for which reafon lefs air alfo was abforbed.
And we may further obferve, that fince
the Candle continued burning as long in a
quantity of alr, equal but to two thirds of
the.

272 Mnalyfis of the Abr.

the receiver, as in the whole air of the re-
ceiver ; this muft be owing to the Sal Tartar
in the flannel lining, which muft needs have
abforbed one third of the fuliginous vapours,
which arofe from the burning Candle. Hence
we may not unreafonably conclude, that the
pernicious quality of noxious vapours in the
air might, in many cafes, be much rebated
and qualified by the ftrongly abforbing power
of Salts. ,

Whether Saits will have a good effe& in
all, or any of thefe cafes, experience will
beft inform us. There is certainly fufficient
ground, from many of the foregoing Experi-
ments, to encourage us to make the tryal,
and they may at leaft be hints for further im- |
provements. |

We fee that Candles and burning Brim- |

ffone do in a much greater degree deftroy
the elafticity of the air, than the breath of
Animals; becaufe their vapours are more.
plentiful, and abound more with acid fal-
phureous particles, and are alfo lefs diluted
with watry vapours, than the breath of Ant-
mals is: In which alfo there are fulphureous
patticles, tho’ in lefler degrees, for the ani-
mial fluids, as well as folids, are ftored with

them:

Analyft s of the Aur. 273
them: And therefore the Candle and Matches
ceafing to burn, foon after they are confined
in a {mall quantity of air, feems not to be
owing to their having rendred that air effete,
by having confumed its vevefying fpirit ; but
fhould rather be owing to the great quantity
of acid fuliginous vapours, with which that
air is charged, which deftroy a good deal of
its clafticity, and very much clog and retard
the claftick motion of the remainder.

And the effect the half exhaufting of a
receiver has upon the elafticity of the re-
maining half of the air, feems to be the rea-
fon why the flame of a Candle does not
continue burning, till it has filled the recei-
ver it ftands in with fumes, but goes out
the quicker, the fooner the air is drawn out
to that degree ; which feems therefore to be
owing to this, that an dir rarified to double
its fpace, will not expand fo briskly with
the warmth of flame, as a more condenfed
air will da: And confequently ation and
re-action being reciprocal, will not give fo
brisk a motion to the flame, which fubfifts
by a conftant fucceffion of freth air, to fup-
ply the place of the either abforbed, or much
dilated air, which is continually flying off.

T And

274 Analy/is of the Air.

And the quicker the fucceflion of this frefh
air is, by blowing, the more vigoroufly does
a fire burn.
If the continuance of the burning of the
Candle be wholly owing to the vivsfying
fpirit, then fuppofing in the cafe of a recei-
ver, capacious enough for a Candle to burn
a minute in it, that half the vzvzfying /pirit
be drawn out with half the air, in ten fe-
conds of time; then the Candle fhould not
go out at the end of thofe ro feconds, but
burn 20 feconds more, which it does not;
therefore the burning of the Candle is not
wholly owing to the vivifying fpirit, but
to certain degrees of the air’s elafticity. |
When a wholly exhaufted receiver was by
means of a burning glafs firft filled with the
fumes of brown paper with N7¢re, and then
filled with frefh air, the nitrous paper upon
applying the burning glafs did freely deto-
nize; and a Candle put into a like air, burnt
for 28”; which in a frefh air, in the famey
receiver, burnt but 43 “; but when the fame
receiver with air in it, was filled full of
fumes of detonized Nztre, and a Candle
placed in that thick vapour, it went out
inftantly, for a Candle will not burn, nor
the

Ainalyfis of the Ar. 275
the Nitre detonize in a very rare, nor a
very thick air; whence the reafon why the
Nitre detonized, and the Candle burnt,
when placed in the receiver, after frefh air
was let in upon the fumes which were
made 7” vacuo, was that thofe fumes were
much difperfed and condenfed on the fides
of the glafs, upon the rufhing in of the
frefh air, for the fumes were then much
more rare aud tranfparent, than before the
air was let in.

That a Fire which is fupplied with a hot
air will not burn fo briskly as a Fire which
is fed by a cool air is evident from hence ;
that when the Suz fhines on a Fire, and there-
by too much rarifies the ambient air, that
Fire will not burn well, nor will a fmall
Fire burn fo well near a large one as at
fome diftance from it. And e confra, it isa
common obfervation, that in very cold frofty
weather Fires burn moft briskly ; the reafon
of which f{eems to be this, that the elaftick
expanfion of the cold condenfed air to a
rarified ftate, when it enters the Fire,.ismuch
brisker than that of an air already rarified in
a good meafure by heat, before it enters the
Fire ; and confequently a continued fuc-

T 2 ceflion

276 Analy fis of the Aur.

ceffion of cold air muft give a brisker motion
to the Fire, than the like fucceflion of hot
air: And fuch colder and more condenfed
air will alfo (as Sir I/aac Newton obferves,
qu. ir.) by its greater weight check the
afcent of the vapours and exhalations of the
Fire, more than a warmer lighter air. So
that between the attion and re-action of the
air and f{ulphur of the fuel, and of the colder
and denfer cirumambient air, which rarifies
much upon entering the Fire, the heat of
the Fire is greatly increafed.

This continual fupply of frefh air to the
fuel feems hence alfo very necefflary for
Keeping a Fire alive; becaufe it is found, that
a Brimfione Match will not take Fire in
avacuum, but only boil and {moak; nor will
Nitre incorporated into Brown Paper then
detonize, except here and there a fingle grain,
that part only of the Paper turning black
on which the focus of the burning glafs falls;
nor would they burn when a half exhaufted
receiver with fumes in it was filled with
frefh air added to thofe fumes: In which
cafe it is plain, that a good quantity of the
fuppofed vzvifying fpirit of air muft enter
the receiver with the frefh air, and confe-

quently

Analyfis of the Air. 277
quently thofe f{ubftances fhould take fire,
and burn fora fhort time at leaft, which yet
they did not.

And that the air’s clafticity conduces much
to the intenfe burning of Fires, feems evident
from hence; that Spirzt of Nitre (which
by Experiment 75 has but little elaftick air
init) when poured upon live Coa/s, ex-
tinguifhes inftead of invigorating them:
But Sprit of Nitre, when by being mixt with
Sal Tartar itis reduced to Nitre, will then
flame, when thrown into the Fire, vzz. be-
caufe Sal Tartar abounds with elaftick aereal
particles, as appears by Experiment 74, where
224 times its bulk of air arofe from a quan-
tity of Sal Tartar. And for the fame reafon
it is that common N7tre, when thrown into
the Fire, flames, tho’ its Sprit will not, vzz.
becaufe there is much elaftick air in it, as
appears from Experiment 72, as well as from ©
the great quantity of it, generated in the
firing of Gun-powder. |

The reafon why Sa/ Fartar, when thrown
on live Coals, does not detonize and flame
like Notre, (notwithftanding by Experiment
74. plenty of elaftick particles did arife from
it) is this, wz. becaufe by the fame Experi-

T 3 ment,

278 Analysis of the Air.

ment, compared with Experiment 72, it is
found, that amuch more intenfe degree of
heat was required to extricate the elaftick
air from Sa/ Tartar, the more fix’d body,
than from N7tre; the great degree of Fire
vith which Sf Tartar is made, rendering
the cohefion of its parts more firm: For it is”
well known that fire, inftead of difuniting,
does in many cafes infeparably unite the parts
of bodies: And hence it is that Pulvss
fulminans, which isa mixture of Sa/ Tartar,
Nitre and fulphur, gives a greater explofion
than Gun-powder: Becaufe the particles of
the Sa/ Tartar, cohering more firmly in a
fix’d ftate than thofe of Nitre, they are there-
fore thrown off with a greater repulfive
force, by the united action and re-ation of

all thofe ingredients armed each with its
acid Sporit.

Bae RIMENT CXVIIL

Which acid Spérits confifting of a volatile
acid Sa/¢ diluted in phlegm do contribute
much tothe force of explofion ; for when heat-
€d to a certain degree, they make a great exe
plofion, like water heated to the fame degree,

as

Analyfis of the Aur. 279
asI found by dropping a few drops of Spzrst
of Nitre, oil of Vitriol, water, and fpittle
on an Anvil; and then holding over thofe
drops a piece of ron which had a white heat
given it; upon firiking down the hot Iron
with a large Hammer, there was a very great
explofion made by each of thofe liquors:
But frothy fpittle, which had air init, made a
louder expiofion than water; which fhews
that the vaft explofion of the Notre and Sal
Tartar, which are compofed of elaftick air
particles, included in an acid Spzrzt, is owing
to their united force.

We may therefore from what has been
faid, with good reafon conclude, that Fire is
chiefly invigorated by the action and re-ac- .
tion of the acid fulphureous particles of the
fuel, and the elaftick ones which arife and en-
ter the Fire, either from the fuelin which
they abound, or from the circumambient
air: For by Experiment 103, and many
others, acid fulphureous particles a@t vi-
goroufly on air; and finceadtion and re-action
are reciprocal, fo muft air on fulphur; and
there is, we fee, plenty ofboth, as well in
mineral as vegetable fuel, as alfo in animal
fubftances, for which reafon they will burn.
rt 4 But

280 Analyfis of the Ahir.

But when the acid fulphur, which we fee
acts vigoroufly on air, is taken out of any
fuel, the remaining Sa/t, Water and Earth
are not inflammable, but on the contrary
quench and retard fire; and as air cannot
produce fire without fulphur, fo neither can
fulphur burn without air: Thus Charcoal
heated to anintenfe degree for many hours
in a clofe veffel will not burnasin the open
air, it will only be red hot all the time like a
mats of Gold without wafting: But no
fooner is it expofed to the free air, but the
fulphur, by the violent action and re-action
between that andthe elaftick air, is {oon fe-
parated and carried off from the Salt and
Earth, which are thereby reduced from a
folid and hard to a foft impalpable calx.

And when a Brimftone Match which was —
placed in an exhaufted receiver was heated
by the focus of a burning glafs fo asto melt
the Brimftone, yet it did not kindle into
fire nor confume, notwithftanding the
ftrength and vigour of the action and re-aGtion
that is obferved between light and fulphure-
ous bodies. Which is afligned by the illuf
trious Sir Ifzac Newton, as “ one reafon
‘< why fulphureous bodies take fire more

« readily,

&&>

Analyfis of the Au. 281

readily, and burn more vehemently than

“ other bodies do, qu. 7. What his notion
of fire and flame is, he gives us in qu.
9.and 10, qu. 9. “Is not fire a body heated
<¢ fo hot as to emit light copioufly? For

€¢

€

~

¢¢

a4

o

€

cc

€£

what elfe is a red hot frog than fire? And
what elfe is a burning Coa/, than red hor
Wood? Qu. 10. Is not flame a vapour,
fume or exhalation heated red hot, that is,
{o hot as to flame? For bodiesdo not flame
without emitting a copious fume, and
this fume burns in the flame.——Some
bodiesheated by motion or fermentation,
if the heat grow intenfe, fume copioufly,
and ifthe heat be great enough, the fumes
will fhine and become flame: Metalsin
fufion do not flame for want of a copious
fume,except {pelter which fumes-copioufly,
and thereby flames: All flaming bodies,
as Oil, Tallow, Wax, Wood, foflil Coals, -
Pitch, Sulphur, by flaming wafte and vanifh
into burning {moak; which {moak, if the
flame be put out, is very thick and vifible,
and fometimes {mells ftrongly, but in
flame lofes its fmell by burning; and ac-
cording to the nature of the {moak the

flame is of feveral colours, as that of
* fulphur,

282. Analyfis of the Air.

“
~

Aw
n~

cé
ee

€¢

fulphur, blue; that of copper opened with
{ublimate, green; that of tallow, yellow;
that of camphire, white; fmoak paffing
thro’ flame cannot but grow red hot, and
red hot {moak can have no other appea-
rance than that of flame.”

But Mr. Lemery the younger fays, “ that
the matter of light produces fulphur, be-
ing mixt with compofitions of falt, earth
and water, and that all inflammable mat-
ters are fuch only in vertue of the par-
ticles of fire which they contain. For in
the Analyfis, fuch inflammable bodies
produce falt, earth, water, and a certain
fubtle matter, which paffes thro’ the clofeft
veffels, fo that what pains foever the ar-
tift ufes, not to lofe any thing, he ftill
finds a confiderable diminution of weight.
‘¢ Now thefe principles of falt, earth and
water are inactive bodies, and of no ufe,
in the compofition of inflammable bo-
dies, but to detain and arreft the parti-
cles of fire, which are the real and only
matter of flame.

<< It appears therefore to be the matter
of flame that the artift lofes in decom-
pounding inflammable bodies, Mem. de
L Acad. Anno 1713.” But

Analyfis of the Aur. 28 3

But by many of the preceding Experi-

ments, it is evident, that the matter loft

in the Analyfis of thefe bodies was elaf-
fick. aig, «4, very. achive principle, in fire,
but not an elemental fire, as he fuppofes,

<< Mr. Geoffrey compounded fulphur of
< acid Salt, Bitumen, a little Earth and o7/
< of Tartar.” Mem. del Acad. Anno 1703.
In which oi/ of Tartar there is much air by
Experiment 74, which air was doubtlefs by
its elafticity very inftrumental in the inflam-
mability of this artificial fulphur.

Iffire was a particular diftinG kind of body
inherent in fulphur, as Mr. Homberg, Mr.
Lemery, and fome others imagin, then fuch
fulphureous bodies, when ignited, fhould
rarify and dilate all the circumambient air ;
whereas it is found by many of the preced-
ing Experiments, that acid fulphureous fuel
conftantly attracts and condenfes a confide-
rable part of the circumambient claftick air.
An argument, that there is no fire endued
with peculiar properties inherent in fulphur,
and alfo that the heat of fire confifts prin-
cipally in the brisk vibrating aG@tion and re-
action, between the elaftick repelling air,
and the ftrongly attracting acid fulphur,which

fulphur

284 | Analysis of the Air.

falphur in its Analyfis is found to contain
an inflammable oil, an acid Salt, avery fixt
earth, and a little metal.

Now fulphur and air are fuppofed to be

acted by that ethereal medium, “ by which

é¢

ce

ێ

ێ

€

~

ee

ce

€€

(the great Sir L/aac Newton {uppofes )
light is refraéted and reflected, and by
whofe vibrations light communicates heat
to bodies, and is put into fits of eafic
reflection, and eafie tranf{miflion: And
do not the vibrations of this medium
in hot bodies contribute to the intenfe-
nefs and duration of their heat? And do
not hot bodies communicate their heat
to contiguous cold ones, by the vibra-

‘tions of this medium, propagated from

them into cold ones? And is not this
medium exceedingly more rare and fub-
tle than the air, and exceedingly more
elaftick and active? And does it not rea-
dily pervade all bodies, Optick qu. 18.

‘ The elaftick force of this medium, in

proportion to its denfiry, muft be above
499,000,000,000 times greater than the
elaftick force of the air is, in propor-

tion to its ‘denfity, ibid, qu. 21.” A force
ba
Sufficient to give ‘an intenfe degree of heat,

3 ie efpecially

Analyfis of the Aur. rte

efpecially when its elafticity is much increaf-
ed by the brisk action and re-action of par-
ticles of the fuel and ambient air.

From this manifeft attraction, action and
reaction, that there is between the acid, ful-
phureous and elaftick aereal particles, we
may not unreafonably conclude, that what
we call the fire particles in Lime, and feve-
ral other bodies, which have undergone the
fire, are the fulphurcous and elaftick parti-
cles of the fire fixt in the Lime ; which par-
ticles, while the Lime was hot, were in a
very active, attraéting and repelling ftate ;
and being, as the Lime cooled, detained in
the folid body of the Lime, at the feveral
attraGting and repelling diftances, they then
happened to be at, they muft neceflarily
continue in that fixt ftate, notwithftanding
the ethereal medium, which is fuppofed
freely to pervade all bodies, be continu-

ally folliciting them to action: But when >

the folid fubftance of the Lime is diffolved,
by the affufion of fome liquid, being there-
by emancipated, they are again at liberty
to be influenced and agitated by each other's
attraction and repulfion, upon which a vio-
lent ebullition enfues; from the adtion and

| | re-action

286 Analyfis of the Aur,

re-action of thefe particles, which ebullition
ceafes not, till one part of the elaftick par-
ticles are {ubdued and fix’d by the ftrong
attration of the fulphur, and the other part
is got beyond the fphere of its attraction,
and thereby thrown off into true permanent
air: And that this is a probable folution
of the matter, there is good reafon to con-
clude, from the frequent inftances we have
in many of the foregoing Experiments, that
plenty of elaftick air is at the fame time
both generated and abforbed by the fame
fermenting mixture ; fome of which were
obferved to generate more air than they ab-
forbed, and others e contra abforbed more
than they generated, which was the cafe

of Lime.

EXPERIMENT CXIX,

And that the fulphureous and aereal par-
ticles of the fire are lodged in many of thofe
bedies which it a&s upon, and thereby con-
fiderably augments their weight, is very evi-
dent in Minium or Red Lead, which is ob-
ferved to increafe in weight about 3, part
in undergoing the ation of the fire. The

| acquired

Analyfis of the Aur. 28%

acquired rednefs of the Minium, indicating
the addition of plenty of fulphur in the o-
peration: For fulphur, as it is found to a&
moft vigoroufly on light, fo it is apt to
refle& the ftrongeft, uzz. the red rays; and
that there is good ftore of air added to the
Minium, I found by diftilling firft 1922
grains of Lead, from whence I obtained
only feven cubick inches of air; but from
1922 grains, which was a cubick inch of
Red Lead, there arofe in the like {pace of
time 34 cubick inches of air; a great part
of which air was doubtlefs abforbed by the
fulphureous particles of the fuel, in the
reverberatory furnace, in which the Mi-
nium was made; for by Experiment 106.
the more the fumes of a fire are confined,
the greater quantity of elaftick air they ab.
forb. :
It was therefore doubtlefs this quantity
of air in the Minium which burft the her-
metically fealed glafles of the excellent Mr.
Boyle, when he heated the Minium con-
tained in them by a burning glafs; but
the pious and learned Dr. Neeuwentyt at-
tributes this effect wholly to the expan-
fion of the fire particles lodged in the Mi-
3 nlum,

288 Analyfis of the fur.

nium, ‘ he fuppofing fire to be a parti-
<< cular fluid matter, which maintains its
“ owneflence, and figure, remaining always
“ fire, tho’ not always burning. Religious
«« Philofopher, p. 310.”

To the fame caufe alfo, exclufive of the
air, he attributes the vaft expanfion of a
mixture of compound Aqua-fortzs and oil of
Carraways, whereas by Exper. 62. there is
a great quantity of air in all o/s. And by
pouring fome compound Aqua-fortis on oil
of Cloves, the mixture expanded into a
fpace equal to 720 times the bulk of the
oil, that part of the expanfion, which was
owing to the watry part of the oz/ and /pi-
rit was foon contracted ; whereas the other
part of the expanfion, which was owing to
the elaftick air of the o#/, was not all con-
tracted, till the next day, by which time
the fulphureous fumes had reforbed it.

The learned Boerhaave would have it,
that putrefaction is the effe& of inherent
fire. He fays, ‘ that vegetables alone are
‘the fubje&t of fermentation, but both
‘« vegetables and animals of putrefaétion ;
‘¢ which operations he attributes to very
‘ different caufes, the immediate caufe of

fermen-

a

{am

Analy fis of the Aur: 285
é« ferrhentation is (he fays) the motion of
*¢ the air intercepted between the fluid and
*¢ vifcous parts of the fermenting liquor 5
<‘ but the caufe of putrefaétion is fire it
<< felf, collected or included within the
*« putrefying fubje&, Proce/s. 77.” Butl do
not fee why thefe may not reafonably e-
nough be looked upon as the effects of dif.
ferent degrees of fermentation ; nutrition
being the genuine effet of that degree of
it, in which the fum of the attraG@ing ac-
tion of the particles is much fuperior to
the fum of their repulfive power: But when
their repelling force far exceeds their attrac-
tive, then the component parts of vegeta
blesare diffolved. Which diffolving fubftances,
when they are diluted with much hquor, do
not acquire a great heat in the diffolution,
the brisknefs of the inteftine motion being
checked by the liquor: But when they are
only moift, like green and damp Hay, in a
Jarge heap, then they acquire a violent heat,
fo as to fcorch, burn and flame, whereby
the union of their conftituent parts being
more throughly diffolved, they will neither
produce a vinous, nor an acid fpirit: Which
great degree of {olution may well be effected

U bY,

290 Analy/is of the Ai.
by this means, without the action ofa fire;
fuppofed to be included within the putre-
fying fubje@. Wherefore according to the
old Axiom, Lutia non funt temere neque
abfque neceffitate multiplicanda.

If the notion of fermentation be reftrained
to the greater repelling degrees of fermen-
tation, in which denfe it has commonly
been underftood; thenit is as certain, that
the juices of vegetables and animals do not
ferment in a healthy ftate, asitis, that they
do not at the fame time coalefce and difu-
nite: But if fermentation be taken in a
larger fenfe, for any the {malleft to the grea-
teft degree of inteftine motion of the par-
ticles of a fluid, then all vegetable and ani-
mal fluids are in a natural ftate, in fome
degree of ferment, for they abound both with
elaftick and fulphureous particles: And it
may with as much reafon be argued, that
there is no degree of warmth in animals
and vegetables, becaufe a great degree of —
heat will caufe a folution of continuity, as _—
to fay, there is no degree of ferment in the
fluids of thofe bodies, becaufe a great repel-
ling degree of ferment will moft certainly
diffolve them. | J

: | That

Analyfis of the Aur. 291
That illuftrious Philofopher Sir I/aac New-

tov, in his thoughts about the nature of a-
cids, gives this rational account of the na-
ture of fermentation. ‘¢ The particles of

ce
€¢
é¢
Ce
GE
i 4
é¢
c¢
(49

ce

acids——-are endewed with a great attractive
force, in which force their adtivity con-
fits——By this attraGtive force they get
about the particles of bodies, whether
they be of a metallick or ftony nature,
and adhere to them moft clofely on all
fides, fo that they can fcarce be feparated
from them, by diftillation or fublimation ;
when they are attracted and gathered to-

‘gether about the particles of bodies, they

raife, disjoyn, and fhake them one from
another, that is, they diflolve thofe bodies.
“ By their attractive force alfo, by which
they rufh towards the particles of bodies,
they move the fluid, and excite heat, and
they fhake afunder fome particles, fo much
as to turn them into air, and generate
bubbles : And thisis the reafon of diffo-
lution, and all violent fermentation. Hare
ris Lexicon Tech, Vol. U1. introduétion.”

Thus we have from thefe Experiments

many manifeft proofs of confiderable quan-
tities Of true permanent air, which are by

U2 means

292 Analy fis of the Aur.

means of fire and fermentation raifed from,
and abforbed by animal, vegetable and mi-
nieral fubftances.

That this air confifts of particles which are
in a very active ftate, repelling each other
with force, and thereby conftituting the fame
kind of elaftick fluid with common air, is
plain from its raifing the Mercury in Expe-_
riment 88 and 89, and from its continu-
ing in that elaftick ftate for many months,
tho’ cooled by fevere frofts ; whereas watry
vapours, tho’ they expand much with hear,
yet are found immediately to condenfe in-
to their firft dimenfions when cold.

The air generated by fire was not, in
many inftances, feparated without great vio-
Tenice. from the fix’d ‘bodies; “in weichae
Was incorporated; as in the cafe of Nitre,
Tartar, SalTartar and Copperas: whence it
fhould feem, that the air generated from
thefe Salts, may probably be very inftru-
mental in the union of Salts, as well as that
central, denfer and compacter particle of
earth, which, Sir L/aac Newton obferves,
does by its attraction make the watry acid -
flow round it, for compofing the particles of
Salt. qd. 31. For fince upon the diffolution

of

Analyfis of the Air. 293

of the conftituent parts of Salt by fire, it is
found, that upon feparating and volatilizing
the acid f{pirit, the air particles do in great
abundance rufh forth from a fixt to a re-
pelling elaftick ftate ; it muft needs be, that
thefe particles did in their fixt ftate ftrongly
attract the acid fpirits, as well as the ful-
phureous earthy parts of the Salt; for the
moft ftrongly repelling and elaftick parti-
cles are obferved, in a fixt ftate, to be the
moft ftrongly attracting.

But the watry acid, which when feparated
from Salt by the action of fire, makes a very
corrofive fuming {pirit, will not make elaf-
tick air, tho’ its parts were put into a brisk
motion by fire in Exper. 75. And the event
was the fame with feveral other volatile |
fubftances, as volatile Salt of Sal Ammoni-
ac, Camphire and Brandy, which tho’ di-
tilled over with a confiderable heat, yet
generated no elaftick air, in Exper. 52, 61)
66. Whence ’tis plain, the acid vapours in
the air only float in it like the watry va-
pours; and when ftrongly attracted by the
elaftick particles of the air, they firmly ad-
here to them, and make Salts,

U3 Thus

294 Analyfis of the Air.

Thus in Experiment 73 we fee by the vaft

quantity of air there is found in Tartar,

that tho’ it contains the other principles of
vegetables, yet air with fome volatile Salt

feems to make up a confiderable part of its

compofition ; which air, when by the aGion

of fire it is more firmly united with the —

earth, and acid fulphureous particles, requires
a more intenfe degree of heat, to extricate
it from thofe adhering fubftances, as we find
in the diftillation of Sa/ Tartar, Exper. 74.
which Air and volatile Salt are moft readily
feparated by fermentation.

And by Experiment 72, plenty of air arifes
alfo from Nitre, at the fame time that the
acid {pirit is feparated from it by the action
of fire.

We find alfo by Experiment 71, that
fome air is by the fame means obtained
from common fea Salt, tho’ not in fo great
plenty, nor fo eafily, as from Tartar and Nz-
tre, it being a more fixt body, by reafon of
the fulphur which abounds in it; neither
is it fo eafily charged in animal bodies, as
other Salts are, yet fince it fertilizes ground,
it muft needs be changed by vegetables.

There

Analyfis of the Air. 295

There is good reafon alfo to fufpect, that
thefe acid fpirits are not wholly free from
air particles, notwithftanding there were no
elaftick ones produced, when they were put
into a brisk motion, by the action of fire in
Experiment 75. which might be occafioned
by the great quantity of acid fpirit, in which
they were involved. For we fee in Expe-
riment 90, that when the acid fpirit of
Agua Regia was more ftrongly attracted by
the diffolying gold, than by the air particles,
then plenty of air particles, which were
thus freed from the acid fpirit, did continu-
ally arife from the Agua Regia, and not
from the gold, at leaft not from the metal-
lick particles of the gold, for that lofes no-
thing of its weight in the folution ; fothat
if any does arife from the gold, it muft be
what may be latent in the pores of the gold.
Whence it is probable, that the air which
is obtained by the fermenting mixture of
acid and alkaline fubftances may not arife
wholly from the diffolved alkaline body, but
in part alfo from the acid. Thus the great
quantity of elaftick air, which in Exper. 83.
is generated from the mixture of Vinegar
and Oyfterfhell, may as well arife in part
U 4 from

196 Aualyfis of the chr.

from the Tartar, to which Vinegar owes
its acidity, as from the diffolved Oyfterfhell.
And what makes it further probable is, that
the Vinegar lofesits acidity in the ferment,
chat is its Tartar : for diffolving menftruums
are generally obferved to be changed in fer-
mentation, as well as the diflolved body.

Have we not reafon alfo hence to con-
clude, that the energy of acid {pirits may in
fome meafure be owing to the ftrongly at-
tracting air particles in them;. which adtive
principles may give an impetus to the acid
fpicule, as well as the earthy oily matter,
which is found in thefe acid {pirits?

There are we fee alfo great ftore of air
particles found in the Analyfis of the blood,
which arifes doubtelefs as well form the /erum
as from the eraffamentum, forall the animal
fluids and folids have air, and fulphur in
them: Which ftrongly attraGting principles
feem to be more intimately united together
in the more perfe& and elaborate part of it,
its red globules; fo that we may not unrea-
fonably conclude, that air isa band of union
here, as well as in Salts: And accordingly
we find the greateft plenty of air in the moft
_ folid parts of the body, where the cohefion
of

Analyfis of the Aur. 297
| pf the parts is the ftrongeft : For by compa.
‘ring Experiment 49 and 51. we fee that
‘much more air was found in the diftilla-
tion of horn than of blood. And the co-
hefion of animal fubftances was not, as we
find by the fame Experiment, diffolved even
in the blood, without confiderable violence —
of fire ; tho’ it is fometimes done to a fa.
tal degree in our blood, by that more {ub-
tile diffolvent fermentation: But we may
obferve, that volatile Salts, Spirits, and ful-
phureous Oil, which are at the fame time
feparated from thefe fubftances, will not
make elaftick air.

EXPERIMEN E°CXX. !

As elaftick air is thus generated by the
force of fire, from thefe and many other
{ubftances ; fo isthe elafticity of the air great-
ly deftroyed by fulphureous bodies. Sir I/aac
Newton obferves, “ that as light a&s upon
“ fulphur, fo fince all action is mutual, ful-
«< phurs ought to act moft upon light.” And
the fame may be obferved of air and ful2
phur; for by Experiment 103; it is found
that burning {ulphur, which is avery ftrongly

attracting

298 Analyfis of the Air.

attracting fubftance, powerfully attraéts and
fixes the elaftick particles of air; fo that there
muft needs be agood quantity of un-elaftick
air particles in oil and flower of fulphur :
The firft of which is made by burning ful-
phur under a bell, the other by fublimation :
In further confirmation of this it is obferved,
that Oleum Sulphuris per Campanam is with
more difficulty made in a dry than a moift
air; and I have found by Experiment purpofe-
ly made, that a Candle which burnt 70” ina
very dry receiver, burnt but 64” in the fame
receiver, When filled with the fumes of hot
water; and yet abforbed one fifth part more
air, than when it burnt longer in the dry air. |
Sulphur not only abforbs the air when
burning in a homogeneal mafs, but alfo in
many fermenting mixtures; and as Sir J/aac
Newton obferved the attractive and refraétive
power of bodies to be greater or lefs, as they
partook more or lef{s of fulphureous oily par-
ticles; fo there is good reafon from thefe
Experiments to attribute the fixing of the
elaftick particles of the air to the ftrong
attraction of the fulphureous particles with
which he fays it’s probable that all bodies
abound moreorlef&,
or That

Analyfis of the Air. 199

That great plenty of air is united with
fulphur in the oil of vegetables, is evident
from the quantity of air that arofe from the
diftillation of oils of Annifeeds and Olives,
in Experiment 62. When by fermentation
the conftituent parts of a vegetable are {e-
parated, part of the air flies off in fermen-
tation into anelaftick ftate; part unites with
the effential Salt, Water, Oil and Earth, which |
conftitute the Tartar which adhere to the
fides of the veffel; the remainder which
continues in the fermented liquor, is there,
fome of it, in a fix’d, and fome in an elaftick
ftate, which gives brisknefs to the liquor ;
their expanding bubbles rifing of a very
vifible fize when the weight of the incum-
bent air istaken off the liquor ina vacuum,
And as there was found a greater quantity

of air in the deer’s horn, than in blood;
we may alfo obferve it to be in a much
sreater proportion in the more folid parts of
vegetables, than in their fluid: For we find
in Experiment 55. 57. and 60. that near
one third part of the fubftance of the Peafe,
heart of Oak and Tobacco, were by the ac-
tion of fire changed from an un-elaftick
ftate, to an claftick air; And fince a much
: greater

300 Analyfis of the Aur.

greater proportion of air is found in the
folid than the fluid parts of bodies; may we
not with good reafon conclude, that it is very
inftrumental, as a band of union in thofe
bodies, ‘* Thofe particles (as Sir Ifaac
Newton obferves) <* receding from one
« another with the greateft repulfive force,
«¢ and being moft difficultly brought together,
«¢ which upon contact cohere moft ftrongly.
gu. 31.” And if the attraction of cohefion
of anun-elaftick air particle be proportion-
able to its repulfive force in an elaftick ftate ;
then fince its elaftick force is found to be
fo vaftly great, fo muft that of its cohefion
be alfo. Sir Lfaac Newton calculates from
the infleGtion of the rays of light, that the
attracting force of particles, near the point of
contact, is 10000,0000,0000,c000 greater
than the force of gravity.
Sulphur in a quiefcent fix’d ftate in a large

body doesnot abforb the elaftick air, for
a hard roll of Brimftone does not abforb
air: But when fome of that Brimftone, by
being powdered and mixt with filings of
fron, is {et a fermenting, and thereby reduced
into very minute particles, whofe attraction
increafes, as their fize decreafes; then it

abforbs

Analyfis of the Air. 301

abforbs elaftick air vigoroufly : As may be
feen in many inftances under Experiment 95.

The Walton mineral, in which there is a
good quantity of fulphur, did, when Com-
pound Agua-fortis was pour'd on it, in Ex-
periment 96, make a confiderable fermen-
tation, and abforb a great quantity of elaftick
air: But when the ferment was much in-
creafed, by adding an equal quantity of
water to the like mixture, then inftead of
abforbing 85 cubick inches as before, it.
generated 80 cubick inches of air: So that
fermenting mixtures, which have fulphur in
them, donot always abforb, but fometimes
generate air: The reafon of which in the
Experiment now under confideration feems
to be this, veg. in the firft cafe a good quan-
tity of elaftick air was generated, by the
inteftine motion of the fermenting ingre-
dients; but there arifing thence a thick, acid
fulphureous fume, this fume abforbed a
greater quantity of elaftick air than was be-
fore generated: And we find by Experiment
103 that the fulphureous particles which fly
off in the air, do by their attraftion deftroy its
élafticity ; for in that Experiment burning
Brimftone greatly deftroyed the air’s elafticity ;
I which

_-

302 Analyfis of the Air.

which muft be done by the flame, and af
cending fumes; becaufe in the burning of
any quantity of Brimftone, the whole mafs
is ina manner watted, there remaining only
avery little dry Earth: And therefore the
abforbed air cannot remain there, but muft
be abforbed by the afcending fumes which
then attra&t moft ftrongly, when re-
duced ad minima: And ’tis well known |
that a Candle in burning flies all off into
flame and vapour, fo that what air it abforbs _
muft be by thofe fumes.

OEXPERIMENT CXXI.

And further Ihave found that thefe fumes —
deftroy the air’s elafticity, for many hours ©
after the Brimftone Match, which made |
them, was taken out of theveffel, sz ag:
(Fig. 35.) Thofe fumes being firft cooled —
by immerfing that veffel and its ciftern x x,
or an inverted wine Flask, full of the fumes,
under cold water for fome time; then mark-
ing the furface of the water = 2 I immerfed
the veflels in warm water: And when all
was cold again the following day, I found
agood quantity ofthe air’s elafticity was de-

ftroyed

Analyfis of the Aur. 302
ftroyed by the water's afcending above zz.
And the event was the fame upon frequent
repetitions of the fame Experiment.

But if inftead of the fumes of burning
Birmftone, I filled a Flask full of fumes from
the fmoak of wood, after it had done flam-
ing, then there was but half as much air
abforbed by thofe fumes, as there was by
the fumes of Brimftone; vzzg. becaufe
the {moak of wood was much diluted with
the watry vapour which afcended with it
outofthe wood. And this is doubtlefs the
reafon why the fmoak of wood, tho’ it in-
commodes the lungs, yet it will not fuffocate |
like that of Charcoal, which is withal more
fulphureous, without any mixture of watry
vapours.

And that new generated elaftick air is re-
forbed by thefe fumes, I found by attempting
to fire a Match of Brimftone with a burn-
ing glafs, by means of a pretty large piece
of Brown Paper which had been dipped
ina ftrong folution of Nitre, and then
dryed: Which Nitre in detonizing generated
neartwo quatts of air, which quantity of air,
and a great deal more, was abforbed, when
the Brimftone took fire and flamed vigoroufly.

3 2g

304 Analy/is of the Aur.

So that the 85 cubick inches of air, Experi*
ment 96, which I found upon meafuring was
-abforbed by the Walton mineral and com-
pound Aqua-fortis, was the excefs of what
was abforbed by thofe fumes above what
was generated by the fermenting mixture.

And the reafon is the fame in filings of

Iron and Spirit of Nitre, Experiment 94,
which alfo abforbed more than they generat-

ed, whether with or without water: The rea~

fon of which will appear prefently.

Hence alfo we fee the reafon why filings —

of Iron and compound gua-fortis in the |

fame 94 Experiment abforbedair ; and why
when mixed with an equal quantity of water
it moftly abforbed, but did fometimes gene-
rate, and then abforb again: And it was the
fame with Oil of Vitriol, filings of Iron and
Water, and New-ca/ftle Coal and compound
Aqua-fortis and others: uzz. At firft, when
the ferment was brisk, the abforbing fumes
rofe fafteft, whereby more air was abforbed

than generated ; but as the ferment abated, to

fuch a degree as to be able ftill to generate

elaftick air, but not to fend forth a propor-

tionable quantity of fumes, in that cafe more
aix would be generated than abforbed.

And

Analyfis of the ftir. ers

And in Experiment 95, there are feveral
inftances of the air’s being in like manner
abforbed in leffer degrees, by other ferment-
ing mixtures: Asin the mixture of Spirit
of Harts-horn with filings of Iron, and with
filings of Copper: And Spirit of Sal 4Am-
montac with filings of Copper; and alfo
filings of Iron and Water; powdered Flint
and Compound Agua-fortis ; powdered Bri-
ftol Diamond with the {ame liquor.

It is probable from Experiment 103 and
106, where it was found that the thicker
the fuliginous vapours were, the fafter they
abforbed the air, that ifthe above-mentioned
fermenting mixtures had not been confined
in clofe veffels, but in the open air, where
the vapours would have been le({s denfe, that
in that cafe much lefs air would have been
abforbed, perhaps a great deal lefs than was
generated.

Inthe fecond cafe of the Wa/ten mineral,
Experiment 96, when inftead of abforbing,
it generated air, the parts of the Compound
Aqua fortis were then more at liberty to
ac by being diluted with an equal quantity
of water; whereby the ferment being
more violent, the particles which conft-

x . tuted

306 Mnaly/is of the Air.

tuted the new claftick air were thereby
thrown off in greater plenty, and perhaps
with a greater degree of elafticity, which
might carry them beyond the fphere of at-
traction of the fulphureous particles.

This is further illuftrated by Experiment
94, where filings of Iron and oil of Vitriol
alone generated very little; but the like
quantities of filings of Iron, with an equal
quantity of water, generated 4.3 cubick inches
of air; andthe like ingredients, with three
times that quantity of water, generated 108
cubick inches.

And tho’ the quantity of the afcending
fumes (which was in this cafe of the Walton
mineral very great) muft needs in their afcent
abforb a good deal of elaftick air, for they
will abforb air; yet if where the ferment was
fo much greater, more elaftick air was ge-
nerated by the fermenting mixture than was
abforbed by the afcending fumes; then the
quantity of new generated air, which I found
between 2zand aa, (Fig. 35.) when 1 mea-
fured it, was equal to the excefs of what was
generated above what was abforbed.

And probably inthis cafe the air was not
abforbed fo much in proportion to the denfity

4 of

Analyfis of the Aur. 307

of the fumes asin the firft cafe ; becaufe here
the fulphureous fumes were much blended
With watry vapours: For we find in Experi-
ment 97, that fix times more was wafted in
fumes inthis cafe than in the other; and there.
fore probably a good part of the cubick inch of
water afcended with the vapour, and might
thereby weaken its abforbing power: For
watry vapours do not abforb elaftick air
as the fulphureous ones do; tho’ by Experi-
ment 120 ,a Candle abforbed more in a damp
than in a dry air.

And’tis from thefe diluting watry vapours
that filingsof Iron with Spirit of Nitre and
Water, abforbed lefs than with Spirit of Nitre
alone, for in both cafes it abforbs more than
it generates. |

Thus alfo oil of Vitriol and Chalk ge-
nerate air, their fume being {mall, and that
much diluted with the watry vapours in the
Chalk.

But Lime with oil of Vitriol, or White-
Wine Vinegar or Water, make a confiderable
fume, and abforb good quantities of air:
Lime alone left to flaken gradually, as it
makes no fume, fo it abforbs no air.

We fee in Experiment 92, where the fer-
XK 2 ment

308 Analy fis of the Aur.

ment was not very fudden nor violent, nor
the quantity of abforbing fumes large, that
the Antimony and Agua-fortis generated a
quantity of air equal to 520 times the bulk
of the Antimony ; thus alfo in the mixture
of Aqua-regia and Antimony, in Experiment
91, while at firftthe ferment was fmall, then
air was generated; but when with the increaf-
ing ferment plenty of fumes arofe, then there
was a change from a generating to an abforb-
ing ftate.

Since we find fuch great quantities of
elaftick air generated in {olution of animal
and vegetable fubftances; it muft need sbe
that a good deal does conftantly arife, from
the diffolving of thefe alimentsin the ftomach
and bowels, which diflolution it greatly pro-
motes: Some of which may very probably
be re-forbed again, by the fumes which arife
with them; for we fee in Experiment 83
that Oyfter-fhell and Vinegar, Oyfter-fhell
and Rennet, Oyfter-fhell and Orange juice,
Rennet alone, Rennet and Bread, firft generat-
ed andthen abforbed air; but Oyfter-fhell with
fome of the liquor of a Calve’s ftomach which
had fed much upon Hay, did not generate air ;
and it was the fame with Oyfter-fhell and

Ox

Analyfis of the Air. 309
Ox gall, and fpittle, and urine; Oyfter-fhell
and Milk generated a little air, but Limon
juice and Milk did at the fame time abforb a
little: Thus we fee that the variety of mix-
tures in the ftomach appear fometimes to
generate, and fometimes to abforb air ; that
is, there is fometimes more generated than
abforbed, and fometimes an equal quantity,
and fometimes lefs according to the propor-
tion the generating power of the diffolving
aliments bears to the abforbing power of the
fumes which arife from them. In atrue kindly
digeftion, the generating power exceeds the
abforbing power but alittle : But whenever
the digeftion deviates in fome degree from
this natural ftate, to generate a greater pro-
portion of elaftick air, then are we trou-
bled more or lefs with diftending Filatus’s
I had intended to make thefe and many more
Experiments relating tothe nature of digef
tion in a warmth equal tothat ofthe ftomach,
but have been hitherto prevented by purfu-
ing other Experiments.

Thus we fee that all thefe mixtures do
in fermentation generate elaftick air, bur
thofe which emit thick fumes, charged with
fulphur, rceforb more than was generated

7 ee 3 in

310 Analy/is of the “ur.

in proportion to the fulphureoufnefs and
thicknefs of thofe fumes.

I have alfo fhewn in many of the fore
going Experiments, that plenty of true per-
manent elaftick air is generated from the
fermenting mixtures of acid and alkaline fub-
ftances, and efpecially from the fermenta-
tion and diffolution of animal and vegeta-
ble bodies: Into whofe fubftances we fee it
is ina great proportion intimately and firmly
incorporated; and confequently, great quan-
tities of elaftick air muft be continually ex-
pended in their produdtion, part of which
does we fee refume its elaftick quality, when
briskly thrown off from thofe bodies by fer-
mentation, in the diffolution of their texture.
But part may probably never regain its elaf-
ticity, or at leaft not in many centuries, that
efpecially which is incorporated into the
more durable parts of animals and ve-
eetables. However we may with pleafure
fee what immenfe treafures of this noble
and important element, endued with a
moft active principle, the all- wife Providence
of the great Author of nature has provided ;
the conftant wafte of it being abundantly
fupplyed by heat and fermentation from in-

numerable

Analyfis of the Air. Bag

numerable denfe bodies ; and that probably
from many of thofe bodies, which when
they had their afcending fumes confined in
my Glaffes, abforbed more air than they
generated, but would in a more free, open
{pace gencrate more than they abforbed.

I made fome attempts both by fire, and |
alfo by fermenting and abforbing mixtures,
to try if I could deprive all the particles of
any quantity of elaftick air of their eclafticity,
but I could not effe& it: There is therefore
no dire& proof from any of thefe Experi-
ments, that all the elaftick air may be ab-
forbed, tho’ tis very probable it may, fince
we find it is in fuch great plenty generated
and abforbed; it may well therefore be
all abforbed and changed from an elaf-
tick to a fixt ftate: For as Sir Isaac New-
TON obferves of light, “ that nothing more
€ is requifite for producing all the variety of
“ colours, and degrees of refrangibility, than
«¢ that the raysof light be bodies of different
“ fizes; the lcaft of which may make the |
“ weakeft and darkeft of the colours, and
“< be more eafily diverted, by refracting fur-
* faces from the right courfe; and the reft,
* as they are bigger and bigger, may make

ar o chic

gue Aualyfis of the hr.

“ the ftronger and more lucid colours——
‘¢ and be more and more difficultly diverted.
“ Qu. 29. So Qu. 30, he obferves of air, that
«¢ denfe bodies by fermentation rarify into
<¢ feveral forts of air, and this air, by fer-
“ mentation,and fometimes without, returns
< into denfe bodies.” And fince we find
in fact from thefe Experiments, that air a-
rifes from a great variety of denfe bodies,
both by fire and fermentation, it is probable
that they may have very different degrees of
elafticity, in proportion to the different fize
and denfity of its particles, and the different
force with which they were thrown off in-
to an elaftick flate. ‘* Thofe particles (as
«* Sir Isaac NewrTon obferves) receding
<¢ from one another, with the greateft re-
«© pulfive force, and being moft difficultly -
« brought together, which upon contaé&
« cohere moft ftrongly.”. Whence thofe of
the weakefi elafticity, will be leaft able to
refift a counter-acting power, and will there-
fore be fooneft changed from an elaftick
to a fixt flate. And ‘tis confonant to reafon
to think, that the air may confift of infinite
degrees of thefe, from se moft elaftick and
repelling, till we come tothe more fluggifh,
) watry

Analyfis of the Aur. 313
watry and other particles, which float in
the air ; yet the repelling force of the leaft
elaftick particle, near the furface of the carth,
while it continues in that elaftick ftate, mutt
be fuperior to the incumbent preffure of a
column of air, whofe height is equal to that
of the atmofphere, and its bafe to the fur-
face of the fphere of its elaftick activity.
Thus upon the whole, we fee that air a-
boundsin animal, vegetable and mineral fub-
ftances; in all which it bears a confiderable.
part: if all the parts of matter were only
endued.with a ftrongly attracting power,
whole nature would then immediately be-
come one unactive cohering lump; where-
fore it was abfolutely neceffary, in order to
the actuating and enlivening this vaft mafs of
attracting matter, that there fhould be every
where intermixed with it a due proportion
of ftrongly repelling elaftick particles, which
might enliven the whole mafs, by the in-
ceffant action between them and the at-
tracting particles: And fince thefe elaftick
particles are continually in great abundance
reduced by the power of the ftrong attracters,
from an elaftick, to a fixt ftate ; it was there-
fore neceffary that thefe particles fhould be
endued

314 Analyfis of the Aur:

endued with a property of refuming their
elaftick ftate, whenever they were difenga-
ged from that mafs, in which they were
fixed; that thereby this beautiful frame of
things might be maintained, in a continual
round of the production and diffolution of
animal and vegetable bodies.

The air is very inftrumental in the pro-
du@ion and growth of animals and vegeta-
bles, both by invigorating their feveral juices,
while in an elaftick ative ftate, and alfo by
greatly contributing in a fix’d ftate to the
union and firm conne&ion of the feveral
conftituent parts of thofe bodies, vz. their
water, falt, fulphur and earth. This band of
union, in conjunction with the external air,
is alfo a very powerful agent in the diffolu-
tion and corruption of the fame bodies, for
it makes one in every fermenting mixture,
the action and re-adtion of the aereal and ful-
phureous particles is in many fermenting
mixtures fo great, as to excite a burning
heat, and in others a fudden flame: And
it is we fee by the like ation and re-ac-
action of the fame principles, in fuel and the
ambient air, that common culinary fires are
produced and maintained.

Tho’

Analyfis of the Aur. 315

Tho’ the force of its elafticity is fo great,
as to be able to bear a prodigious preffure,
without lofing that elafticity, yet we have
from the foregoing Experiments evident
proof, that its elafticity is eafily, and in great
abundance deftroyed; and isthereby reduced.
to a fixt ftate, by the ftrong attraction of the
acid fulphureous particles, which arife either
from fire or from fermentation : And there-
fore elafticity is not an effential immutable
property of air particles; but they. are, we
fee, eafily changed from an elaftick to a fixt
{tate, by the ftrong attraction of the acid, ful-
phurcous and faline particles which abound
in the air. Whence it is reafonable to con-
clude, that our atmofphere is a Chaos, con-
fitting not only of elaftick, but alfo of un-
elaftick air particles, which in great. plenty
float in it, as well as the fulphureous, fa-
line, watry and earthy particles, which are
no ways capable of being thrown off intoa
permanently elaftick flate, like thofe parti-
cles which conftitute true permanent air.

Since then air is found fo manifeftly to
abound in almoft all natural bodies; fince
we find it fo operative and active a principle
in every chymical operation, fince its con-

ftituens

316 Analyfis of the Aur.

ftituent parts are of fo durable a nature,
that the moft violent action of fire, or fer-
mentation, cannot induce fuch an alteration
of its texture, as thereby to difqualify it
from refuming, either by the means of fire,
or fermentation, its former elaftick fiate3
unlefs in the cafe of vitrification, when with
the vegetable Salt and Nitre, in which it is
incorporated, it may perhaps fome of it
with other chymical principles be immuta-
bly fixt: Since then this is the cafe, may
we not with good reafon adopt this now fixt,
now volatile Proteus among the chymical
principles, andthat avery active one, as well as
acid fulphur; notwithftanding it has hither-
to been overlooked and rejected by Chymifts,
as no way intitled to that denomination?

If thofe who unhappily fpent their time
and fubftance in fearch after an imaginary
production, that was to reduce all things to
gold, had, inftead of that fruitlefs purfuit,
beftowed their labour in fearching after this
much neglected volatile Hermes, who has fo
often efcaped thro’ their burft receivers, in
the difguife of a fubtile fpirit, a meer fla-
tulent explofive matter; they would then
inftead of reaping vanity, have found their

refearches

Of Vegetation. 317
refearches rewarded with very confiderable
and ufeful difcoveries.

CH A Bo Wil:
Of Vegetation.

E are but too fenfible, that our rea-
fonings about the wonderful and
intricate operations Of nature are fo full
of uncertainty, that as the wife-man truly
obferves, hardly do we guefs aright at the
things that are upon earth, and with labour
do we find the things that are before us.
Wifdom Chap. ix. v. 16. And this obferva-
tion we find fufficiently verified in vege-
table nature, whofe abundant produdtions,
tho’ they are moft vilible and obvious to us,
yet are we much in the dark about the nature
of them, becaufe the texture of the veflels of
plants is fo intricate and fine, that we can
trace but few of them, tho’ aflifted with the
beft microfcopes. We have however good
reafon to be diligent in making farther and
farther refearches; for tho’ we can never hope
to come to the bottom and firft principles of
things, yet in fo inexhauftible a fubject, where
3 every

318 Of Vegetation,

every the fmalleft part of this wonderful
fabrick is wrought in the mof curious and
beautiful manner, we need not doubt of
having our inquiries rewarded, with fome
further pleafing difcovery ; but if this fhould
not be the reward of our diligence, we are
however fure of entertaining our minds
after the moft agreeable manner, by feeing
in every thing, with furprifing delight, fuch
plain fignatures of the wonderful hand of
the divine architect, as muft neceffarily dif
pofe and carry our thoughts to an act of ado-
ration, the beft and nobleft employment and
entertainment of the mind.

What I fhall here fay, will be chiefly found-
ed on the following experiments; and on
feveral of the preceding ones, without re-
peating what has already been occafionally
obferved on the fubject of vegetation.

We find by the chymical analyfis of vege-
tables, that their fubftance is compofed of
fulphur, volatile falt, water and earth; which
principles are all endued with mutually
attracting powers, and alfo of a large portion
of air, which has a wonderful property of
ftrongly attraGting in a fixt ftate, or of re-
pelling in an elaftick ftate, with a power

which

Of Vegetation. 319
which is fuperior to vaft comprefling forces ;
and it is by the infinite combinations, action
and re-action of thefe principles, that all
the operations in animal and vegetable
bodies are effected.

Thefe active aereal particles are very fer-
viceable in carrying on the work of vegeta-
tion to its perfection and maturity. Not
only in helping by their elafticity to diftend
each ductile part, but alfo by enlivening and
invigorating their fap, where mixing with
the other mutually attracting principles they
are by gentle heat and motion fer at liberty
to affimilate into the nourifhment of the re-
{pective parts: “ The foft and moift nourifh-
«© ment eafily changing its texture by gentle
“heat and motion, which congregates
* homogeneal bodies, and feparates hete-
“* rogeneal ones.” Newton's Opticks, qu.
31. The fum of the attra@ting power of thefe
mutually acting and re-acting principles
being, while in this nutritive ftate, fuperior
tothe fum of their repelling power, where-
by the work of nutrition is gradually adyanc-
ed by the nearer and nearer union of thefe
principles, from a lefler to a greater degree
of confiftency, till they are advanced to that

vifcid

320 Of Vegetation.

vifcid ductile ftate, whence the feveral parts
of vegetables are formed; and are at length
firmly compacted into hard fubftances, by
the flying off of the watry diluting vehicle;
fooner or later, according to the different
degrees of cohefion of thefe thus compacted
principles.

But when the watry particles do again
foak into and dif-unite them, and their repel-
lingpower is thereby become {uperior to their
attracting power; then is the union of the
parts of vegetables thereby fo throughly dif-
folved, that this ftate of putrefaction does
by a wife order of Providence fit them to
refufcitateagain,in newvegetable productions;
whereby the nutritive fund of nature can
never be exhaufted: Which being the fame
both in animals and vegetables, it is thereby
admirably fitted by a little alteration of its
texture to nourifh either.

Now, tho’ all the principles of vegeta-
bles are in their due proportion neceffary
to the production and perfection of them ;
yet we generally find greater proportions
of Oil in the more elaborate and exalted
parts of vegetables: And thus Seeds are found
to abound with Oil, and confequently with

ae fulphur

Of Vesetation. Z2¥

fulphur and air, as we fee by Exper. 56,
$7, 58. which Seeds containing the rudi-
ments of future vegetables, it was neceffary
that they fhould be well ftored with princi-
ples that would both preferve the Seed from
putrefaction, and alfo be very active in pro-
moting germination and vegetation. Thus
alfo by the grateful odours ef flowers we
are aflured, that they are ftored with a very
fubtile, highly fublimed Oil, which perfumes
the ambient air, and the fame may be ob-
ferved from the high taftes of fruits.

And as Oil is an excellent prefervative
againft the injuries of cold, fo it is found
to abound in the fap of the more northern
trees; and it is this which in ever-greens
keeps their leaves from falling.

But plants of a lefs durable texture, as
they abound with a greater proportion of
Salt and Water, which is not fo ftrongly
attracting as fulphur and air, fo are they lefs
able to endure the colds; and as plants are
obferved to have a greater proportion of Salt
and Waiter in them in the fpring, than in
the autumn, fo are they more eafily injured
by coldinthe {pring, than ina more advanced

! xX age,

322 Of Vegetation.
age, when their quantity of oil is increafed,
with their greater maturity.

Whence we find that nature’s chief bufi-
nefs, in bringing the parts of a vegetable,
efpecially its fruit and feed to maturity, is
_ to combine together in a due proportion,
the more ative and noble principles of ful-
phur and air, that chiefly conftitute oil,
which in its moft refined flate is never found
without fome degree of earth and falt in it.

And the more perfe& this maturity is, the
more firmly are thefe noble principles united.
Thus Rhenifh Wines, which grow in a more
northern climate, are found to yield their
Tartar, z. e. by Exper. 73. their incorpora-
ted air and fulphur in greater plenty, than
the ftronger Wines of hotter countries, in
which thefe generous principles are more
firmly united: And particularly in Adadera
Wine, they are fixt to fuch adegree, that
that Wine requires a confiderable degree of
warmth, fuch as would foure many. other
Wines, to keep it in order, and give it a
generous tafte; and ‘tis from zhe fame rea-
fon, that fmall French Wines are found.to
yicld more fpirit in diftillation, than firong
Spanifa Wines. But

Of Fegetation. 223
But when, on the other hand, the crude
watry part of the nutriment bears too great
a proportion to the more noble principles,
either in a too luxuriant ftate of a plant, or
when its roots are planted too deep, or it
fiands in too fhady a pofition, or in a very
cold and wet fummer; then it is found,
that cither no fruit is produced, or if there
be any, yet it continues in a crude watry
{ftate; and never comes fo that degree of
maturity, which a due proportion cf the
more noble principles would bring it to.
Thus we find in this, and every other
part of this beautiful {cene of things, when
we attentively confider them, that the great
Auther of nature has admirably tempered
the conftituent principles of natural bodies,
in fuch due proportions as might beft fit
them for the ftate and purpofes they were
intended for.
It is very plain from many of the fore-
going Experiments and Obfervations, that
the leaves are very ferviceable in this work
of vegetation, by being inftrumental in bring-
ing nourifhment from the lower parts, within
the reach of the attraction of the growing
fruit; which like young animals is furnifhed
a a ae 2 with

344 Of Vegetation.
with proper inftruments to fuck it thence.
But the leaves feem alfo defigned for many
other noble and important fervices ; for
nature admirably adapts her inftruments fo.
‘as to be at the fame time ferviceable to
many good purpofes. Thus the leaves, in
which are the main excretory ducts in vege-
tables, feparate and carry off the redundant
watry fluid, which by being long detained,
would turn rancid and prejudicious to the
plant, leaving the more nutritive parts to
coalefce ; part of which nourifhment, we
have good reafen to think, is conveyed into
vegetables thro’ the leaves, which do plenti-
fully imbibe the Dew and Rain, which con-
tain Salt, Sulphur, gc. For the air is full
of acid and fulphureous particles, which
when they abound much, do by the action
and re-action between them and the elaftick
air caufe that fulrry heat, which ufually
ends in lightning and thunder: ~And thefe
new combinations of air, fulphur and acid
fpirit, which are conftantly forming in the
air, are doubtlefs very ferviceable, in promo-
ting the work of vegetation ; when being
imbibed by the leaves, they may not im-
probably be the materials out of which the
: ae —

Of Megetation, ay
more fubtile and refined principles of ve-
getables are formed: For fo fine a fluid as’
the air feems to be a more proper medium,
wherein to prepare and combine the more
exalted principle of vegetables, than the grof-
fer watry fluid of the fap; and for the fame
reafon, ‘tis likely, that the moft refined and,
active principles of animals arc alfo prepared
In the air, and thence conveyed thro’ the
lungs into the blood; and that there is plenty.
of thefe fulphureo-aereal partigles in the
leaves, is evident from the fulphureous exu.
dations, which are found at the edges of
leaves, which Bees are obferved to make
their waxen cells of, as well as of the duft
of flowers: And that wax abounds with ful-
phur is plain from its burning freely, @e.

We may therefore reafonably conclude,
that one great ufe of leaves is what has
been long fufpeted by many, vuzz. to per-
form in fome meafure the fame oflice for
the fupport of the vegetable life, that the
lungs of animals do, for the fupport of the
animal life; Plants very probably drawing
thro’ their leaves fome part of their nou-
rifhment from the air.

Vos, i) BME

326 Of Vegetation.

But as plants have nota dilating and con-
tracing Thorax, their infpirations and expi-
rations will not be fo frequent as thofe of
Animais, but depend wholly on the alter-
nate changes from hot to cold, for infpira-
tion, and vice verfa for expiration ; and ’tis
not improbable, that plants of more rich
and racy juices may imbibe and aflimilate
more of this aereal food into their conftitu-
tions, than others, which have more watry
vapid juices. We may look upon the Vine
as a good inftance of this, which in Exper. 3.
perfpired lefs than the Apple-tree. For as it
delights not in drawing much watry nourifh-
ment from the earth by its roots, fo it
muft therefore neceffarily be brought to a
more ftrongly imbibing flate at night, than
other trees, which abound more with watry
nourifhment; and it will therefore confe-
quently imbibe more from theair. And likely
this may be the reafon, why plants in hot
countries abound more with fine aromatick
principles, than the more northern plants,
for they do undoubtedly imbibe more dew. ©

And if this conjecture be right, then it
gives us a farther reafon, why trees which
abound with moifture, cither from too fhaded

ft a a po-

Of Vegetation. 327
a pofition, or a foo luxurious ftate are un-
fruitful, vz. becaufe, being in thefe cafes
more replete with moifture, they cannot im-
bibe fo ftrongly from the air, as others do,
thag great blefling the dew of Heaven.

And as the moft racy generous taftes of
fruits, and the grateful odours of flowers,
do not improbably arife from thefe refined
aereal principles, fo may the beautiful co-
lours of flowers be owing in a good mea-
fure to the fame original; for itis a known
obfervation, that a dry foil contributes much
more to their variegation than a ftrong moitft
one docs. ABO
~ And may not light alfo, by freely entring
the expanded furfaces of leaves and flowers,
contribute much to the ennobling the prin-
ciples of vegetables; for Sir L/aae Newton,
puts it as avery probable query, “ Are
“ not grofs bodies and light convertible into
¢¢ one another? and may not bodies receive
‘* much of their activity from the particles
‘«¢ of light, which enter their compofition ?
** The change of bodies into light, and of
“ light into bodies, is very conformable to
*« the courfe of nature, which feems de-
“¢ lighted with tranfmutations. Opt. qu. 30.”

Y 4 E x:

328 Of Vegetation.
EXPERIMENT CXXII.

That the leaves of plants do imbibe elaf
tick ait, I have fome reafon to fufpect from
the following Experiment, vzz. In May I
fet fome well rected plants of fpear-mint
in two glafs ciferns full of water, which
cifterns were fet on pedeftals, and had in-
verted cnymical receivers put over them, as
in (Fig. 35.) the water being drawn up to
4a, half ue their necks: In this inclofed
moilt ftate the plants looked pretty florid
for a month, and made, as _I think, dome
few weak lateral fhoots, tho’ they did not
Brow. in height; they were not quite dead
till after fix weeks, when it was found that
the watcr was rifen in both glafies from
44 towards s zg, ian bulk about 20 cubick
inches: But as there was not fo exact an ae-
count taken of the different temperature of
the air, as to heat and cold, as there ought
to have been, I am not certain, whether
that rifting of the water might not be owing
to a greater coolnefs of the air at the fix
weeks end, than when they were firft placed
under the glaffes ; and therefore do not. de-

pend

Of Vegetation. 329
pend on this Experiment; but thought it
proper to mention it, as well deferving to
be repeated with greater accuracy, both with
Mint, and other proper plants, by noting the
temperature of the air on a Thermometer,
hanging near the receivers, and obferving
after fome time, whether the water g a be
rifen, notwithftanding the air be no cooler
than when the Mint was firft placed under
the glafs. And for greater certainty, it will
be advifeable to fufpend in the fame manner
another like receiver with no Mini, but
only water init, up to @ a.

ExPERIMENT CXXIII.

In order to find out the manner of the —
srowth of young fhoots, I firft prepared the
following inftrument, vzz. I took a {mall
ftick a, (Fig. 40.) and at aquarter of an
inch diftance from each other, I run the
points of five pins, I, 2, 3, 4, 5, thro’ the
{tick, fo faras to ftand 4 of an inch from the
ftick, then bending down the great ends of
the pins, I bound them all faft with waxed
thread; I provided alfo fome red lead mixed
with oil.

| In

330 Of Vegetation.

In the fpring, when the Vimes had made
fhort fhoots, I dipped the points of the pins
in the paint, and then pricked the young
fhoot of a Vine, (Fig. 41.) with the five
points at once, from ¢ to p: I then took
off the marking inftrument, and placing the
Joweft point of itin the hole p, the upper-
moft mark, I again pricked frefh holes from
p to /, and then marked the two other
points z 4 ; thus the whole fhoot was marked
every < inch, the red paint making every
point remain vifible.

(Fig. 42.) fhews the true proportion of
the fame fhoot, when it was full grown, the
September following ; where every corre-
{ponding point is noted with the fame let-

The difiance from ¢ to s was not en-
larged above # part of aninch; from s tog,
the 7, of an inch; from gto p, 33 from p
to0, 23 from eto”, 4.3) fromiv to was s

from mtol, 1 -- # of aninch; from/to
z,1-+ % Inch nearly; and fromzto Athree

In this Experiment we fee that the firft
joint to r extended very little; it being al-
moft hardened, and come near to its full

growth,

Of Vegetation. 321
srowth, whenI marked it: The next joint,
from r tom, being younger, extended fome-
thing more; andthe third joynt from x tok
extended from 3 of an inch, to 3 -+ 4}
inches; but from & to #, the very tender
joynt, which was but } inch long, when I
marked it, was when full grown three inches
long. :

We may obferve, that nature in order
to furnifh thefe young growing fhoots with
plenty of ductile matter is very careful to
furnifh at fmall diftances the young fhoots
of all forts of trees, with many leaves
throughout their whole length, which ferve
as fo many joyntly acting powers placed at
different flations, thereby to draw with more

eafe plenty of fap to the extending fhoor.
The like provifion has nature made in
the Corn, Grafs, Cane, and Reed kind; the
leafy {pires, which draw the nourifhmene
to each joynt, being provided long before
the ftem fhoots, which flender ftem in
its tender duétile ftate would moft eafily
break and dry up too foon, fo as to pre-
vent its due growth, had not nature to
prevent both thefe inconveniences provided
{trong Thecas or Scabbards, which both fup-
port

332 Of Fegetation.
port and keep long in a fupple duétile
{tate the tender extending ftem. )

I marked in the fame manner as the Vine,
at the proper fcafons, young Honeyfuckle
fhoots, young A/paragas, and young Swan-
pfowers; and I found in them all a gradual
fcale of unequal extenfions, thofe parts ex-
tending moft which were tendereft. The
white part of the A/paragus, which was un-
der ground, extended very little in length,
and accordingly we find the fibres of the
white part very tough and ftringy : But the
greateft extenfion of the tender green part,
avhich was about 4 inches above the ground
when I marked it, feparated the marks from
a quarter of an inch, to twelve inches dif-
tance; the greateft diftenfion of the Syz-
flower was from Zinch, to four inches dif-
tance.

From thefe Experiments, it is evident,
that tne growth of a young bud to a fhoot
confifts in the gradual dilatation and exten-
fion of every part; the knots of a fhoot
being very near cach other in the bud, as
may plainly and diftin@ly be feen in the flit
bud of the Vine and Fig tree; but by this
gradual diftention of every part, they are ex-

2 tended

Of Vegetation. 333
tended to their full length. And we may
eafily conceive how the longitudinal capil-
lary tubes ftill retain their hollownefs, not-
withftanding their being diftended, from the
like effet in melted glafs tubes, which re-
tain a hollownefs, tho’ drawn out to the
fineft thread.

The whole progrefs of the fir joynt r
is very fhort in comparifon of the other
joynts ; becanfe, at firft fetting out its leaves
being very {mall, and the feafon then cooler
than afterwards; ‘tis probable, that but lit-
tle fap is conveyed to it, and therefore it ex-
tending but flowly, its fibres are in the
mean time grown tough and hard, before
it can arrive to any confiderable length.
But as the feafon advances, and the leaves
inlarge, greater plenty of nourifhment be-
ing thereby conveyed, the fecond joynt
grows longer than the firft, and the 3d and
4th ftill on gradually longer than the pre-
ceding; thefe do therefore in equal times
miake greater advances than the former.

The wetter the feafon, the longer and
larger fhoots do vegetables ufually make ;
becaufe their foft dudtile parts do then con-
tinue longer in a moift, tender ftate ; but

in

334 Of Vegetation.
in adry feafon the fibres fooner harden, and
ftop the further growth of the fhoot; and
this may probably be one reafon why the
two or three laft joynts of every fhoot are
ufually fhorter than the middle joynts; wiz.
becaufe they fhooting ont in the more advan-
ced hot dry fummer feafon, their fibres are
foon hardened and dryed, and are withal
checked in their growth by the cool
autumnal nights: I had a vine fhoot of one
years growth which was 14 feet long, and
had 39 joynts, all pretty nearly of an equal
length, except fome of the firft and laft.
And forthe fame reafon, Beans and many
other plants, which ftand where they are
much fhaded, being thereby kept continually
moilt, do grow to unufual heights, and are
drawnup asthey call it by theover fhadow-
ing Trees, their parts being kept long, foft
and du@tile: But this very moift fhaded ftate
is ufually attended with fterility ; very long.
joynts of vines are alfo obferved to be un-
fruitful. Sith
This Experiment, which fhews the manner
of the growth of fhoots, confirms Borel.
/?s opinion, who in his Book De motu
Animalinm, part fecond Chap. 13, fup-
pofes

Of Vegetation. 335°

pofes the tender growing fhoot to be diftend-
ed like foft wax by the expanfion of the
moifture in the fpongy pith; which dilating
moifture, he with good reafon concludes
is hindered from returning back, while it
expands by the fponginefs of the pith,
without the help of valves. For ’tis very
probable that the particles of water, which
immediately adhere to, and are ftrongly
imbibed into, and attracted by every fibre
of the {pongy pith, will fuffer fome degree
of expanfion before they can be detached
by the fun’s warmth from each attracting
fibre, and confequently the mafs of {pongy
fibres, of which the pith confifts, muft there-
by be extended.

And that the pith may be the more fervice-
able for this purpofe, nature has provided in
moft fhoots a ftrong partition at every knot,
which partitions ferve not only as plinths, or
abutments for the dilating pith to exert its
force on, but alfoto prevent the rarified fap’s
too free retreat from the pith.

But a dilating fpongy fubftance, by
equally expanding it {elf every way, wouid
not produce an oblong fhoot, but rather a
globofe one, like an Apple; to prevent which

Z inconvenience

336 Of Vegetation.
inconvenience we may obferve, that nature
has provided feveral Diaphragms, befides
thofe at cach knot, which are placed at.
fmall diftances acrofs the pith ; thereby pre-
venting its too great lateral dilatation. Thefe
are very plain to be feen in Walnut-tree
fhoots; and the fame we may obferve in the
pith of the branches of the fun-fiower, and
of feveral other plants; where tho’ thefe Dia-
phragm are not to be diftinguifhed while the
pith is full and replete with moifture, yet
when it drys up, they are often plain to be
feen; and it is further obferved, that where
the pith coniifts of diftinG veficles, the fibres
of thofe veficles are often found to run
horizontally, whereby they can the better
refift the too great lateral dilatation of the
fhoot. | :
We may obferve that nature makes ufe of
the fame artifice, in the growth ofthe feathers
of Birds, which is very vifible in the great
pinion feathers of the wing, the {maller and
upper partof which is extended by a fpongy
pith, but the lower and bigger quill part, by
a feries of large veficles, which when replete
with dilating moifture do extend the quill;
but when the quill is full grown, thefe
<yelicles 2

Of Vegetation. 337
veficles are always dry; in which ftate we
may plainly obferve every velicle to be con-
tracted at each end by a Diaphragm or Sphin-
éter, whereby its too great laterai dilatation
is prevented, but not its diftenfion lengthwife.

And as this pith in the quill grows dry
and nfelefs after the quill is full grown,
we may obfervethe fame inthe pith of trees,
which is always fucculent and full of moifture
while the fhoot is growing, by the expanfion
of which the tender cudtile fhoot is diftended
in every part, its fibres being at the fame time
kept f{upple by this moifture; but when
each year’s fhoot is full grown, then the pith
gradually drys up, and continues for the
future dry and kikfey, its veficles being ever
after empty ; nature always carefully pro-
viding for the fucceeding year’s growth by
preferving a tender ductile part in the bud
replete with fuceulent pith.

And as in vegetables, fo doubtiefs in ani-
mals, the tender ductile bones of young
animals are gradually increafed in every part,
that is not hardened and offified; but fince
it was inconfiftent with the motion of the
joynts to have the ends of the bones foft
and ductile as in vegetables; therefore na-

& ture

338 Of Vegetation,
ture makes a wonderful provifion for this
at the glutinous ferrated joyning of the heads
to the fhanks of the bones; which joyning
while it continues dudile the animal grows,
but when it oflifies then the animal can no
longer grow. AsI wasaflured by the following
Experiment, vzz. Itook a half grown Chick,
~ whofe leg-bone was then two inches long,
and with a fharp pointed Iron at half an inch
diftance I pierced two {mall holes through the
middle of the fcaly covering of the leg, and
shin-bone; two months after I killed the
Chick, and upon laying the bone bare, I
found on it obfcure remains of the two
marks I had made at the fame diftance of
half an inch: So that that part of the bone
had not at all diftended lengthwife, fince
the time that I marked it : Notwithftanding
the bone was in that time grown an inch
more in length, which growth was moftly
at the upper end of the bone, where a won-
erful provifion is made for its growth atthe
joyning of its head to the fhank, called by
Anatomifts Symphyfis.
And as the bones grow in length and fize;
fo muft the membranous, the mufelar, the
eS og 2) Se eRWOns,

Of Vegetation. 338
nervous, the cartilaginous and ¢afcular fibres
ofthe animal body neceflarily extend and
expand, from the du@ile nutriment. which
nature furnifhes every part withal ; in which
repects animal bodies do as truly vegetate as
do the growing vegetables. Whence it muft
needs be of the greateft confequenee, that
the growirg animal be fupplied with pro-
per nourifhment for that purpofe, in order
to form a fitrong athletick conftitution:
For when growing nature is deprived of
proper materials for this purpofe, then is fhe
under anecefiity of drawing out very Nender
threads of life, as is too often the cafe of
young growing perfons, who by indulging in
{pirituous liquors, or other excefics, do there-
by greatly deprave the nutritive dnétile
matter, whence all the diftending fibres of
the body are fupplied,

Since we are by thefe Experiments aflured
that the longitudinal fibres, and fap veffels
of wood in its firft year’s growth, do thus
diftendin length by the extenfion of every
part; and fince nature in fimilar productions
makes ufe of the fame or nearly the fame
methods: Thefe confiderations make it not

unreafonable to think, that the fecond and
Ly 2 following

340 Of Vegetation.

foilowing years additional ringlets of wooed
are not formed by a meerly horizontal
dilatation of the veffels 5 for it isnot eafy to
conceive, how longitudinal fibres and tubu-
lar fap-vetlels fhould thus be formed; but
rather by the fhooting of the longitudinal
fibres lengthways under the bark as young
fibrous fhoots of roots do, in the folid
Earth. The obfervations on the manner ofthe
growth of the ringlets of wood in Experi-
ment 46 (Fig. 30.) do further confirm this.
I intended to have made father refearches
into this matter by proper Experiments, but
have not yet found time for it.

But whether it be by an horizontal or
longitudinal fhooting, we may obferve that
nature has taken great care to keep the parts
between the bark and wood always very
fupple with flimy moifture, from which
ductile matter the woody fibres, veficles and
buds are formed.

Thus we fee that nature, in order to the
production and growth of all the parts of
animals and vegetables, prepares her dudtile
matter : In doing of which fhe fele&ts and
combines particles of very different degrees
of mutual attraction, curioufly proportion-

ing

Of Vegetation, 341
ing the mixture according to the many
different purpofes fhe defigns it for ; either
for long or more lax fibres of very different
degrees in animals, or whether it be tor the
forming of woody or more foft fibres of
various kinds in vegetables.

The great variety of which different fub-
{tances in the fame vegetable prove, that
there are appropriated veffels for conveying
very different forts of nutriment. And in
many vegetables fome of thofe appropriate
veflels are plainly to be feen replete either
with milky, yellow, or red nutriment.

Dr. Kez/l,in his account of animal fecre-
tion, page 49, obferves, that where nature
intends to feparate a vifcid matter from
the blood, fhe contrives very much to retard
its motion, whereby the inteftine motion of
the blood being allayed, its particles can the
better coalefce in order to form the vifcid
fecretion. And Dr. Grew, before him, ob-
ferved an inftance of the fame contrivance
in vegetables where a fecretion is intended,

that is to compofe a hard {ubftance, vzz. in
the kernell or feed of hard ftone fruits,
which does not immediately adhere to, and
grow from the upper part of the ftone,

eh 3 which

342 Of Vegetation.

which would be the fhorteft and neareft
way to convey nourifhment to it ; bat the
fingle umbilical veflel, by which the kernel
is nourifhed, fetches a compafs round the
concave of the ftone, and then enters the
kernel near its cone, by which artifice this
veffel being much prolonged, the motion of
the fap is thereby retarded, and a vifcid
nutriment conveyed to the feed, which turns
to hard fubfiance.

The like artifice of nature we may obferve
in the long capillary fibrous veffels which
lic between the green hull, and the
hard fhell of the Walnut, which are
analogous tothe florous Mace of Nutmegs,
the ends of whofe hairy fibres are inferted
into the angles of the furrows inthe Walnut-
fhell: Their ufe is therefore doubtlefs to
carry in thofe long diftinG veffels the very
vifcous matter which turns, when dry, toa
hard fhell; whereas were the fhell immedi-
ately nourifhed from the foft pulpous hull
that furrounds it, ic would certainly be of
the fame foft conftitution: The ufe of the
hull being only to keep the fhell in a fofe
ductile flate till the Nut-has done growing.

We may obferve the like effed of a flower

motion

Of Vegetation. 343
motion of the fap in Ever-greens, which per-
fpiring little, their fap moves much more
flowly than in more perfpiring Trees; and
is therefore much more vifcid, whereby they
are betrer enabled to outlive the winter’s
cold. It is obferved that the fap of Ever-
greens in hot Countries is not fo vifcous as
the fap of more Northern Ever-greens, as
the fir, @c. forthe fap in hotter Countries
muft nave a brisker motion, by means of
its greater perfpiration.

EXPERIMENT CXXIV.

In order to enquire into the manner of
the expanfion of leaves, I provided a little
Oaken board or fpatula, 2 6 cd of this fhape
and fize, (Fig. 43.) thro’ the broad part at
a quarter Of an inch diftance from each other;
I run the points of 25 pins « » which ftood
# inch thro’, and divided a fquare inch
into 16. equal parts. 7

With this inftrument in the proper fea-
fon, when leaves were very young, I pricked
feveralofthem thro’ at once, with the points
of all thefe pins, dipping them firft in the
red lead, which made lafting marks,

| Z 4 ( Fig.

344 Of Vegetation.

(Fig. 44.) reprefents the fhape and fize
of a young Fig-leaf, when firft marked
with rec points, $ inch diftance from each
other. | |

(Fig. 45.) reprefents the fame full grown
leaf, and the numbers an{wer to the corre-
fponding numbers in the young leaf :
Whereby may be feen how the feveral points
of the growing leaf were feparated from
each other, and in what proportion, vzz.
from a quarter of an inch, to about three
quarter’s of an inch diftance.

In this Experiment we may obferve that
the growth and expanfion of the leaves is
owing to the dilatation of the veficles in
every part, as the srowth of a young fhoot
was fhewn tobe owing to the fame caufe
in the foregoing Experiment 8 ; and doubt-
lefs the cafe is the fame in all fruits.

If thefe Experiments on leaves were fur-
ther purfucd, there might probably be many
curious obfervations made in relation to
the fhape of leaves: By obferving the dif-
ference of the progreflive and lateral motions
of thefe points in different leaves, that were
ef very diiferent lengths in proportion to
their breadths.

That

’ ¢
f
i
a eed
— eA

Of Vegetation. 345

That the force of dilating fap and air, in-
eluded in the innumerable little veficles of
young tender fhoots and !eaves, is abundantly
fufficient for the extending of fhoots, and ex-
panding of leaves, we have evident proof
from the great force we find in the fap of
the Vine, chap. 3d. and from the vaft force,
with which infinuating moifture expanded
the Peafe. Experiment 32. we {ee the great
power of expanding water, when heated in
the engine to raife water by fire: And wa-
ter with air and other active particles in ca-
pillary tubes, and innumerable {mall veficles,
do doubtiefs act with a great force, tho’ ex-
panded with no more heat than what the
Sun’s warmth gives them.

And thus we fee that nature exerts a con-
fiderable, tho: fecret and filent power, in car-
rying on all her productions; which demon-
ftrates the wifdom of the Author of nature
in giving fuch due proportion and direétion
to thefe powers, that they uniformly con-
cur to the produdtion and perfeétion of na-
tural Beings; whereas were fuch powers
under no guidance, they muft neceflarily
produce a Chaos, inttead of that regular and
beautiful fyftem of nature which we {ee.

3 | We

346 OF Vegetation. :

We may plainly fee the influence of the
Sun’s warmth in expanding the fap in all
the partsof vegetables, as well in the roots
as the body that is above ground, by the
influence it has on the fix Thermometers
defcribed under Experiment 20, five of which
were fixed at different depths from two in.
ches, to two feet under ground, the other
being expofed to the open air.

When in the greateft noon tide heat the
fpirit cf that which was expofed to the Sun
was rifen, fince the early morning, from 21
to48 degrees; thenthe {pirit in the fecond
Thermometer, whofe ball was two inches
under ground, was at 45 degrees, and the
3d, ath, and sth Thermometers were gradu-
ally of lefs and lefs degrees of heat, as they
were placed lower in the ground to the fixth
Thermometer, which was two feet under
ground, in which the fpirit was 31 degrees
high. In this fate of heat on all the parts
of the vegetable, we fee the Sun muft have
a very confidcrable influence in expanding
the fap in all its parts. The warmth was
much greater on the body above ground,
than on the roots which were two feet deep 5
thofe roots, and parts of roots which are

- deepeft,

Of Vegetation. 347

deepeft, as they feel much lefs of the Sun’s
warmth, fo are they not fo foon, nor fo
much affected by the alternacies of day and
night, warm and cold: But that part of ve-
getables, which is above ground, muft have
its fap confiderably rarified, when the heat
increafed from morning to two aclock after-
noon, fo much as to raife the f{pirit in the
ift Thermometer from 21 to 48 degrees a.
bove the freezing point.
When in the coldeft days of the winter
724, the froft was fo intenfe, as to freeze
Ka furface of ftagnant water near an inch
thick, then the fpiritc in the Thermometer
which was expofed to the open air, was fal-
len four degrees below the freezing point ;
the fpirit of that whofe ball was two inches
under ground, was four degrees above the
freezing point; the 3d, 4th and sth TZer-
mometers were proportionably fallen lefs
and lefs, as they were deepcr, to the 6th
Thermometer, which being two feet under
ground, the {pirit was 10 degrees above the
freezing point. In this ftate of things the
work of vegetation feemed to be wholly at
a ftand, at leaft within the rcach of the
froft,
: But

348 Of Vegetation.

But when the cold was fo far relaxed, as
to have the fpirit in the firtt Thermometer
but 5 degrees above the freezing point, the
fecond 8 degrees, and the 6th 13 degrees,
tho’ it was fill very cold, yet this being
fome advance from freezing towards warm,
and there being confequently fome expan-
fion of the fap, feveral of the hardy vege-
tables grew, vzz. fome Ever-greens, Snow-
drops, Crocus’s, gc. which forward hardy
plants do probably partake much of the na-
ture of Ever-greens in perfpiring little; and
the motion of their fap being confequently
very flow, it wili become more vifcous, as
in Ever-greens; and thereby the better able
to refit the winter’s cold: And the {mall
expanfive force, which this fap acquires in
the winter, is moftly exerted in extending
the plant, little of ic being wafted in pro-
portion to the fummer’s per{piration.

Supported by the evidence of many of
the foregoing Experiments, I will now trace
the vegetation of a tree from its firft femi-
nal plant in the Seed to its full maturity and
produdtion of other Seeds, without entring
into a particular defcription of the ftruature
ef the parts of vegetables, which has al-

ready

Of Vegetation. 349

ready been accurately done by Dr. Grew
and Malpight.

We fee by Experiment 56, 57, $8, on
diftilled Wheat, Peafe and Muttard.feed,
what a wonderful provifion nature has made,
that the Seeds of Plants fhould be well ftored
with very active principles, which princi-
ples are there compacted together by him,
who curioufly adapts all things to the pur-
pofes for which they are intended, with
fuch a juft degree of cohefion as retains them
im that ftate till the proper feafon of ger-
mination; for if they were of a more lax
conftitution, they would too foon diffolve
like the other tender annual parts of plants :
And if they were more firmly connected, as
in the heart of Oak, they muft neceffarily
have been many years in germinating, tho’
fuppled with moifture and warmth.

When a Seed is fown in the ground, in
a few days it imbibes fo much moifture, as
to {well with very great force ; as we fee
in the Experiment on Peafe in an iron pot,
this forcible {welling of the lobes of the
Seed ar, ar (Fig. 46.) does probably pro-
trude moifture and nourifhment from the
capillary veffels yr, which are called the

Seed

350 Of Fegetatzon.

Seed roots, into the radiclec, 2, d, which
radicle, when it has fhot fome length into
the ground, does then imbibe nourifhment
from thence; and after it has acquired fuf
ficient ftrength, as this tender duétile root
is extending from 2 to c, it muf neceffa-
rily carry the expanding Seed-lobes upwards,
at the fame time that the dilating from z
to @ makes it fhoot downwards ;. and when
the root is thus far grown, it fupplies the
Plume 4 with nourifhment, which thereby
{welling and extending opens the lobes ar,
ar, which are at the fame time raifed a-
bove ground with the Plume; where they
by expanding and growing thinner turn to
green leaves, (except the Seeds of the pulfe
kind) which leaves are of {uch importance
to the yet tender Plume, that it perifhes,
or will not thrive if they are pulled off;
which makes it probable, that they do the
fame office to the Plume, that the leaves
adjoyning to Apples, Quinces and other
fruitsdotothem, vzz. they draw fap within
the reach of their attra@tion; fee Exper. 8
and 30. But when the Plume is fo far ad-
vanced in growth, as to have branches and
expanded leaves to draw up nourifhment ;
| then

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Maite
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Of Vegetation. 351

then thefe fupplemental feminal leaves, ar,ar,
being of no farther ufe, doperifh; not only
becaufe the now grown and more expanded
leaves of the young plant or tree, do fo
everfhadow the fupplemental leaves, that
their former more plentiful perfpiration is
much abated ; and thereby alfo their power
of attracting fap fails; but alfo becaufe the
fap is drawn from them by the leaves, and
they being thus deprived of nourihment,
do perifh.
- As the tree advances in ftature, the firft,
fecond, third, and fourth order of lateral
branches fhoot out, each lower order being
longer than thofe immediately above them ;
not only on account of primogeniture, but
alfo becaufe being inferted in larger parts
of the trunk, and nearer the root, they
have the advantage of being ferved with grea-
ter plenty of fap, whence arifes the beau-
tiful parabolical figure of trees.

Buc when trees ftand thick together in
Woods or Groves, this their natural fhape
isaltered, becaufe the lower lateral branches
being much fhaded, they can perfpire little ;
and therefore drawing little nourifhment,
‘they perifh; but the top branches, being
expofed

32 Of Vegetation.

expofed to a free drying air, they perfpire
plentifully, and thereby drawing the fap to
the top, they advance much in height: But
vice verfa, if when fuch a Grove of tall
trees is cut down, there be left here and
there a fingle tree, that tree will then fhoot
out lateral branches ; the leaves of which
branches now perfpiring freely, will at-
tract plenty of fap, on which account
the top being deprived of its nourifhmente,
it ufually dies.

And as trees in a Grove or Wood grow
only inlength; becaufe all the nourifhment
is by the leaves drawn to the top; mof of
the {mall lateral fhaded branches in the mean
time perifhing for want of perfpiration and
nutrition ; fo the cafe is the very fame in the
branches of a tree, which ufually making
an angle of about 45 degrees with the ftem
of the tree, do thereby beautifully fill up at
equal and proper diftances the {pace between
the lower branches, andthe top of the tree,
forming thereby as it were a parabolical
Grove, or Thicket; which fhading the arms,
the {mall lateral fhoots of thofe arms ufually
perifh for want of due perfpiration; and
therefore the arms continue naked like the

bodies

Of Vegetation: 353
bodies of Trees in a grove; all the nourifh-
ment being drawn up to the tops of the
feveral branches by the leaves which are
there expofed to the warm fun and free
drying air; whereby the branches of Trecs
expand much.

And where the lateral branches are very
vigorous, fo as to make ftrong fhoots, and
atcract the nourifhment plentifully, there the
tree ufually abates in its height: But where
the tree prevails in height, as in groves, there
commonly its lateral branches are {malleft.
So that we may look upon atree as a com-
plicated Engine which has as many different
powers as it has arms and branches, each
drawing from their common fountain of
life the root: And the whole of each yearly
growth of the tree will be proportionable
to the {um of their attrafting powers, and the
quantity of nourifhment the root affords -
But this attracting power and nourifhment
will be more or lefs, according to the differ-
ent ages of the tree, and the more or lefs
kindly feafons of the year.

And the proportional growth of their
lateral and top branches, in relation to each
other, will much depend on the difference

A a of

354 Of Vegetation,

of their feveral attracting powers. If the
perfpiration and attraction of the lateral
branches is little or nothing, asin woods and
groves, then the top branches will mightily
prevail ; but when in a free open air, the
perfpiration and attraction of the lateral
branches comes nearer to an equality with
that of the top, then are the afpirings ofthe
top branches greatly checked. And the cafe
is the fame in moft other vegetables, which
when they ftand thick together, grow much
in length with very weak lateral fhoots.

And as the leaves are thus ferviceable
in promoting the growth of a tree, we may
obferve that nature has placed the pedals of
the leaves-ftalks where moft nourifhment is
wanting, to produce leaves, fhoots and fruir ;
and fome fuch thin leafy expanfion is fo
neceflary for this purpofe, that nature pro-
vides {mall thin expanfions, which may be
called primary leaves, that ferve to protec
and draw nourifhment to the young fhoor
and leaf-buds before the leaf it felf is ex-
panded.

And herein we fee the admirable con-
trivance of the Author of nature in adapting
her different ways of conveying nourifh-

ment

OF Vegetation. 355
ment to the different circumftances of her
productions. For in this embrio ftate of the
buds a fuitable provifion is made to bring
nourifhment to them in a quantity fufficient
for their then {mall demands: But when
they are in fome degree increafed and formed,
a much greater quantity of nourifhment, is
neceflary, in proportion to their greater in-
ereafe: Nature, that fhe may then no longer
fupply with a {canty hand, immediately
changes her method, in order to convey
nourifhment with amore liberal hand to her
productions; which fupply daily increafes by
the greater expanfion of the leaves, and con-
fequently the more plentiful attration and
fupply of fap, as the greater eon and de-
mand for it increafes.

We find a much more elaborate and
beautiful apparatus, forthe like purpofe, in
the curious expantftons of bloffoms and flow-
ers, which feem to be appointed by na-
ture not only to protec, but alfo to draw and
convey nourifhment to the embrio fruit and
feeds. But as foon as the Calzx is formed into
a {mall fruit, now impregnated with its
Minute feminal tree, furnifhed with its
Secondine, Corton and Amnion, (which

mite Aaz new

356 Of Vegetation.

new fet fruit may in that ftate be looked
upon asa compleat egg of the tree, con-
taining its young unhatched tree, yet in em-
brio) then the bloflom falls off, leaving this
new formed egg, or firft fet fruit in this infant
ftate, to imbibe nourifhment fufficient for,
it felf, and the Foetus with which it is im-
pregnated: Which nourifhment is brought
within the reach and power of its fution
by the adjoyning leaves.

If I may be allowed to indulge conjeGure
in a cafe, in which the moft diligent in-
quirers are as yet, after all their laudable re-
fearches, advanced but little farther than
meer conjecture, I would propofe it to their
confideration, whether from the manifeft
proof we have that fulphur flrongly attra@s
air, a hint may not be taken, to confider
whether this may not be the primary ufe of
the Farina fecundans, to attra& and unite
with it felf elaftick or other refined active
particles. That this Farznma abounds with
fulphur, and that avery refined fort, is pro.
bable from the fubtile oil which chymifts
obtain from the chives of faffron. And if this
be the ufe of it, was it poffible that it could
be more aptly placed for the purpofe on very

A moveable

_ Of Kegetation. 257
moveable Apsces fixt on the flender points
of the Stamina, whereby it might eafily with
the leaft breath of wind be difperfed in the
air, thereby {urrounding theplant, as it were,
with an Atmofphere of fublimed fulphur-
eous pounce? for many trees and plants abound
with it, which uniting with the air particles,
they may perhaps be infpired at feveral parts
of the plant, and efpecially at the Pz/?z//um,
and be thence conveyed to the Cap/ula
feminalis, {pecially towards evening, and in
the night when the beautiful Petala of the
flowers are clofed up, and they, with all
the other parts of the vegetable, are in a
ftrongly imbibing ftate. And if to thefe
united fulphureous and aereal particles we
fuppofe fome particles of light to be joyned,
for Sir [/aac Newton has found that fulphur
attracts light firongly, then the refult of
thefe three by far the moft active principles
in nature will be a Punctum Saliens to
invigorate the femznal plant: And thus we
are at laft conducted by the regular Analyfis
of vegetable nature to the firft enlivening
principle of their minuteft origin.

A a3 The

358

The Concluhan.

E have from the foregoing Experi-

ments many proofs of the very great
and different quantities of moifture imbibed
and perfpired by different kinds of Trees,
and alfo of the infiuence of the feveral ftates
of the air, asto warm or cold, wet or dry,
have on that perfpiration. We fee alfo what
ftores of moifture nature has provided in
the Earth againft a dry feafon, to anfwer
this great expence of it in the produ€tion
and fupport of vegetables; how far the
dew can contribute to this fupply, and how
infufficient its fmall quantity is towards
making good the great demands of perfpira-
tion: And that plants can plentifully imbibe
moifture thro’ their ftems and leaves as well
as perfpire it.

We fee with what degrees of warmth the
fun, that kindly natural genius of vegetation,
acts on the feveral parts of vegetables, from
their tops down to their roots two feet under
ground.

_ We have alfo many proofs of the great
force with which plants and their feveral
branches and leaves imbibe moifture, up

their

The Conclufion. 359
their capillary fap veflels : The great influence
the perfpiring leaves have in this work, and
the care nature has taken to place them in
fuch order, and at fuch proper diftances, as
may render them moft ferviceable to this
purpofe, efpecially in bringing plenty of nou-
rifhment to the young growing fhoots and
fruit whofe ftem isufually furrounded with
them near the fruit’s infertion into the twig.

We fee here too that the growth of fhoots,
leaves and fruit, confifts in the extenfion of
every part ; for the effecting of which, na-
ture has provided innumerable little veficles,
which being replete with dilating moifture,
it does thereby powerfully extend, and draw
out every ductile part.

We have here alfo many inftances of the
great force of the afcending fap in the vine
in the bleeding feafon; asalfo of the fap’s
freely either afcending or defcending, as it
fhall happen to be drawn by the perfpiring
leaves; and alfo of its ready lateral motion
thro’ the laterally communicating fap veffels;
together with many proofs of the greae
plenty of air drawn in and mixed with the
fap and incorporated into the fubftance of
vegetables.

If therefore thefe Experiments and Obfer--
erie aa vations

360 = The Conclufton.

vations give us any farther infight into the
nature of plants, they will then doubtlefs
be of fome ufe in Agriculture and Garden-
ing, either by ferving to reGtify fome miftaken
notions, or by helping farther to explain the
reafons of many kinds of culture, which
long repeated experience has found to be good;
and perhaps by leading us to make fome advan-
cestherein : But as it requires along feries and
great variety of frequently repeated Experi-
ments and Obfervations, to make a very
{mall advance in the knowledge of the
nature of vegetables; fo proportionably we
are from thence only to expe& fome graduai
improvements in the culture of them.

-The fpecifick differences of vegetables,
which are all fuftained and grow from the
fame nourifhment, is doubtle{s owing to the
very different formation of their minute
veffels, whereby an almoft infinite variety of
combinations of the common principles of
vegetables is made; whence fome abound
more with fome principles and fome with
others. Hence fome are ofa warmer and more
fulphureous, others of a more watry, faline,
therefore colder nature; fome of a more
firm and lafting, others of a more lax and
perifhable conftitution. Hence alfo it is that
| fome

The Conclufion. 361

fome plants flourifh beft in one climate, and
others in another;that much moifture is kind-
ly to fome, and hurtful to others ; that fome
require aftrong, rich, and othersa poor, fandy
foil ; fome do beft in the fhade, and others in
the fun, @vc. And could our eyes attain toa
fight of the admirable texture of the parts on
which the {pecifick differences in plants de-
pends, what an amazing and beautiful fcene
of inimitable embroidery fhould we behold?
what a variety of mafterly ftrokes of machi-
nery? what evident marks of confummate
wifdom fhould we be entertained with 3}

We may obferve that the conftitution of
plants is curioufly adapted to the prefent
ftate of things, fo as to be moft flourifhing
and vigorous in a middle flate of the air, vz.
when there is adue mixture and proportion
of warm and cold, wet anddry ; but when the
feafons deviate far to any extream of thefe,
then arethey lefs or more injurious to the
feveral forts of vegetables according to the
very different degrees of hardinefs, or healthy
latitude they enjoy.

The different feafonsin which plantsthrive
beft, feemsto depend, among other caufes,
onthe very different quantities imbibed and
perfpired by different kinds

362 The Conclufion.

kinds of plants. Thus the Ever-greens per-

fpiring little, and having thereby a thick,

viicid, oily fap, they can the better endure

the winter's cold, and fubfift with little frefh

nourifhment: They feem many of them to

flourifh moft in the temperate feafons of the

year, but not fo wellin the hotteft part of
Summer, becaufe their perfpiration is then
fomewhat too great,in proportion tothe low
afcent of the fap, which makes fome of them
at that feafon to abate of their vigor: Thus
fome plants, which grow and thrive with
the flow perfpiration of Fanuary and Fe-

bruary, perifh as the {pring advances, and the
~ warmth and per{piration is too great fog
them. And thus Garden Peafeand Beans,

which are fown in what is found to be their
proper feafon, viz. in November, Fanuary,

or February, tho’ they make but a flow pro-

grefsin their growth upwards, during the

cold feafon, yet their roots, as alfo thofe of
Winter corns, do in the mean time fhoot well
into the warmer Earth, fo as to be able to
afford plenty of nourifhment when the fea-
fon advances, and there is a greater demand

of it both for nutrition and perfpiration. But

when Peafe are fown in Fume, in order for a

crop

The Conclufion. 363

ctop in September, they rarely thrive well,
unlefs in a cool moift fummer, by reafon of
the too great perfpiration caufed by the fum-
mer’s heat, which drys and hardens their
fibres before they are full grown.

Tho’ we have from thefe Experiments,
and from common obfervation, many proofs
of the great expanfive force, with which the
fibrous roots of plants fhoot, yet the lefs
refiftance thefe tender fhoots meet with, the
greater progrefs they will certainly make in
equal times: And therefore one confidera-
ble ufe of fallowing and trenching ground,
and of mixing therewith feveral forts of com.
poft, as Chalk, Lime, Marle, Mold, ge.
is not only thereby to replenifh it with rich
manure, but alfo to loofen and mellow the
foil, not only that the air may the more
eafily penetrate to the roots, but alfo thar
the roots may the more readily make vigo-
rous fhoots. And the greater proportion the
furface of the roots bears to the furface of
the plants above ground, fo much the greater
quantity of nourifhment they will afford,
and confequently the plants will be the more
vigorous, and better able to weather it out,
againft unkindly feafons, than thofe plants

whole

364 The Conclufion.

whofe roots have made much fhorter fhoots.
Herein therefore confifts the great care
and skill of the Husbandman, to adapt
his different forts of Husbandry to the
very different foils, feafons and kinds of
grain; that the feveral forts of earth, from
the very ftiff and ftrong ground, to the
loofe light earths, may be wrought to the
beft temper they are capable of, for the
kindly fhooting and nourifhing of the roots.
And probably the Husbandman might get
many ufeful hints, to direct him in adapt-
ing the feveral kinds of manure, and dif-
ferent forts and feafons of culture to his
different foils and grains: If in the feve-
ral ftages and growth of his Corn, he would
not only make his obfervations, on what
appears above ground, but would alfo fre-
quently dig up, compare and examin the
roots of plants of each fort, efpecially of
thofe which grew in different foils, and were
any how cultivated in a different manner
from each other ; this would inform them.
alfo, whether they fowed their Corn too
thick or too thin, by comparing the branch-
ings and extent of each root, with the {pace
of ground allotted it to grow in.

And

The Conclufion. 365

And fince we find fo great a quantity of
air infpired and mixt with the fap, and
wrought into the fubftance of vegetables ,
the advantage of ploughing and fallowing
ground feems to arife not only from the
killing the weeds, and making it more mel-
low, for the {hooting of the roots of Corn;
but it is thereby alfo the better expofed to
have the fertilizing, fulphureous, aereal and
acid particles of the air mixt with it, which
make land fruitful, as is evident from the
fertility which the {word or furface of land
acquires, by being long expofed to the air,
without any culture or manure whatever.

We have feen many proofs of the great
quantities of liquor imbibed and perfpired
by plants, and the very fenfible influence
which different ftates of the air had on their
more or lefs free perfpiration : A main
‘intention therefore to be attended to in
the culture of them, is to take due care,
that they be fown or planted in proper
feafons and foils, fuch as will afford them
their due proportion of nourifhment ; which
foils, as they are exhaufted, ‘mutt, as ‘tis well
known, from time to time, be replenifhed
with frefh compoft, {uch as is full of faline,

fulphu-

366 The Conclufion.

fulphureous and aereal particles, with which
common dung, lime, afhes, fword, or burn
bated turf abound: As alfo fuch manures
as have nitrous and other falts in them; for
tho’ neither nitre nor common falt be found
in vegetables; yet fince they are obferved
to promote fertility, it is reafonable to con-
clude, that their texture is greatly altered
in vegetation, by having their acid volatile
falts feparated from the attracting central
air and earthy particles, and thereby mak-
ing new combinations: with the nutritive
juice ; and the probability of this is further
confirmed from the great plenty of air and
volatile falt, which is found in another com-
bination of them, vzz. in the Tartar of fer-
menting liquors: For it is the opinion of
Chymifts, that there is but one volatile fale
in nature, out of which all other kinds of
falts are formed by very different combi-
nations, all which nutritive principles do
by various combinations with the cultivated
earth, compofe that nutritive ductile mat-
ter, out of which the parts of vegetables
are formed, and without which the watry
vehicle alone cannot render a barren foil
fruitful.

r Nog

=

The Conclufion. 367

Nor is this the only care, the thriving
and fertility of plants and trees depends much
upon the happy influence and concurrence
of a great variety of other circumftances.
Thus many trees are unfruitful by being
planted too deep, whereby their roots being
in too moift a ftate, and too far from the
proper influence of the Sun, whofe power
greatly decreafes the deeper we go, as we
fee in Experiment 20. they imbibe roo much
crude moifture, which tho’ productive of
wood, is yet unkindly for fruit.

Or if when not planted too deep, they
are full of crude fap, either by being too
luxurious, or too much fhaded ; or are plan-
ted in a moift, when they delight in a dry
foil, then the fap is not fo fufficiently di-
gefted by the Sun’s warmth, as to be in
that ductile ftate, which is proper for the
producing of fruit.

And thus the Vine, which is known to
thrive well in a dry, gravelly, rocky foil,
will not be fo fruitful in a moift, ftiff, clay
ground: And accordingly we may obferve
in Experiment the 3d, that tho’ the Vine
imbibed and perfpired more than the Ever-
grecn, yet it perfpired lefs than the Apple-

tree,

368 The Couclufion.

tree, which delights in, and bears beft in 4
{trong brick-earth clay; for tho’ the Vine
bleeds moft freely in its feafon, produces
many long fucculent fhoots, and bears great
plenty of a very juicy frait, yet from thar
Experiment it is plain, that it is not a great
perfpirer, and therefore thrives beftina dry,
rocky, or gravelly foil. |

The confiderable quantity of moifture,
which by Experiment 16. is perfpired from
the branches of trees, during the cold win-
ter feafon, plainly fhews the reafon, why in
a long feries of cold north-eafterly winds,
the bloffoms, and tender young fet fruit and
leaves, are in the early {pring fo frequently
blafted, vzz. by having the moiiture exhaled
fafter than it can be fupplied from the trees ;
for doubtlefs that. moifture rifes the flower
from the root, the colder the feafon is, tho’
it rifes in fome degree all the winter, as is
evident from the fame Experiment.

And from the fame caufe it is, that the
leafy fpires of Corn are by thefe cold dry-
ing winds often faded and turned yellow;
which makes the Husbandman, on thefe oc-
cafions, with for {now ; which tho’ it be very
cold, yet it not only defends the root from

being

The Couclufion. = — 369
being frozen, but alfo {creens the Corn
from thefe drying winds, and keeps it in a
moift, florid, fupple ftate.

It feems therefore to be a very reafonable
dire@ion which is given by fome of the
Authors who write on Agriculture and Gar-
dening, vzz. during thefe cold drying winds,
when little dew falls, to water the trees in
dry foils, in the bloffoming feafon, and while
the young fet fruit is tender; and provided
there is no immediate danger of a froft, or
in cafe of continued froft, to take care to
cover the trees well, and ‘at the fame time
to {prinkle them with water, which is imi-
tating nature’s method of watering every part:
But if the fuccefs of this pra€tice in cold
weather may be thought a little doubtful s
yet the {prinkling the bodies and leaves of
trees, in a very hot anddry fummer {eafon,
feems moft reafonable, for by Exper. 42,
they will imbibe much moifture.

As to floping fhelters over Wall-trees, I
have often found, that when they are fo
broad as to prevent any rain or dew com-
ing at the trees, they do more harm than
good, in thefe long eafterly drying winds,
becaufe they prevent the rain and dews
falling on thém, which would not only
. Bb refrefh

370 The Conclufion.

refrefh and fupple them, but alfo convey
nourifhment to them: But in the cafe of
fharp frofts after fhowers of rain, thefe fhel.
ters and other fences muft needs be of ex-
cellent ufe to prevent the almoft total de-
firuction which is occafioned by the freez-
ing of the tender parts of vegetables, when
they are full faturate with rain.

The full proof we have from thefe Ex-
periments, ofthe ferviceablenefs of the leayes
in drawing up the fap, and the care we fee
nature takes, in furnifhing the twigs with
plenty of them, principally, near the fruit,
may inftruct us on the one hand, not to be
too lavifh in pruning them off, and to be
ever mindful to leave fome on the branch
beyond the fruit ; and on the other hand, to
be as careful to cut off all fuperfluous fhoots,
which we are affured do draw off in wafte
great quantity of nourifhment. And might
it not be advifeable, among many other ways
which are prefcribed, to try whether the
too great luxuriancy of a tree or branch
could not be much checked by pulling off
fome of its leaves? How many experience
will beft teach us, the pulling all off will
endanger the killing the branch or tree.

There is another very confiderable ufe of

3 the

The Conclufion. 371

the leaves, vzz. to keep the growing fruit in
a fupple dudile ftate, by defending it from
the Sun and drying winds, which by tough-
ning and hardening its fibres {poil its growth,
when too much expofedto them; but when
full grown, or near it, a little more Sun
is often very needful to ripen it. In hot-
ter climates fruits want more fhade than
in this country, and here too, more fhade
is needful in a hot dry fummer, than in a
Wet cool one.

The confideration of the ftrong imbibing
power of the branches of trees, and the rea-
dinefs with which we fee t he fap paffes to and
fro, te follow the ftrongeft attraction, may per-
haps give fome ufeful hints to the Gardiner,
in the pruning and fhaping of his trees, in
checking the too luxuriant, andhelping and
encouraging the unthriving partsof trees.

It is a conftant rule among Gardiners,foun-
ded on long experience, to prune weak trees
early in the winter, becaufe they find that
late pruning checks them; and for the
fame reafon to prune luxuriant trees late in
the f{pring, in order to check their luxuri-
ancy. Now it is evident that this check does
not proceed from any confiderable lofs of
fap at the wounds of the pruned tree, ex-

Bb z cepting

272 The Couclufion.

cepting the cafe of a few bleeding trees when
cut in that feafon, but muft arife from fome
other caufe; for by Experiment 12 and 37.
where mercurial gages were fixed to the ftems
of frefh cut trees, thofe wounds were con-
{tantly in a ftrongly imbibing ftate, except
the Vine in the bleeding feafon. |

When a weak tree is pruned early in the
beginning of the winter, the orifices of the
fap-veffels are clofed uplong before the {pring
as is evident from many Experiments in the
rft, 2d and 3d chapters; and confequently
when in the {pring and fummer the warm
weather advances, the attracting force of the
perf{piring leaves is not then weakened by
many inlets from frefh wounds, but is wholly
exerted in drawing fap from the root. Where-
as on the other hand, when a luxuriant
tree is pruned late in the fpring, the force
Oi its leaves to attract fap from the root
will be much fpent and loft at the feveral
frefh cut inlets.

Befides, the early pruned tree being eafed
of feveral of its twigs or branches, has: there-
by the advantage of ftanding thro’ the whole
Winter, with a head better proportioned to
its weak root. And fince by Exper. 16. the
fap is found to afcend in the winter, lefs of

that

The Conclufion. 373

that than cold crude juice is drawn thro’
the roots and ftem, to fupply the perfpi-
ration of the remaining boughs, whereby
the fap of the tree is probably lefs depau-
perated than it would have been, if all
the boughs had remained on. For thefe rea.
fons, early pruning fhould in the main, and
excepting fome eafes, be better than late.
And the reafonablenefs of this practice
is further confirmed by the experience of
Mr. Palmer, a curious Gentleman of Chel-
fea, who has found, that by pruning his
Vines, and pulling all the leaves off them in
September,as foon asthe fruit was off, they have
born greater plenty of Grapes than other
Vines, particularly in the year 1726. when
by reafon of the extreme wetnefs and cold_
nefs of the preceding fummer, the unripe
fhoots produced generally very little fruit.
From many Experiments in the fecond
Chapter, the Gardiner will fee with what
force his grafts imbibe fap from the ftock,
efpecially that ductile nourifhment from be-
tween the barkand wood; which correfpond-
ing parts he well knows by conftant expe-
rience mutt be carefully adapted to each other
in grafting, thofe grafts being always beft
whofe buds are not far afunder, vz. be-
caule

374 The Couclufion.

caufe their expanding leaves; can therefore
draw up fap the more vigoroufly.

The great quantities of moifture which
we find by Experiment 12 are imbibed at
wounds where branches are cut off, fhews
the reafonablenefs of the caution ufed by
many who are defirous to preferve their trees,
viz. either by plaiftring or covering with
Sheet-lead the very large wounds of trees,
to defend their trunks from being rotted by
the foaking in of rain.

And from the fame 12th Experiment a
hint may be taken to make fome attempts
to give an artificial tafte to fruits, by making
trees imbibe in the fame manner fome
ftrongly tinged or perfumed liquor, which
is not fpirituous, for that we fee will kill the
tree. I have made the ftem of a branch of a
tree imbibe two quarts of water without
killing it; If any are defirous to make this
Experiment they fhould take care to cut the
ftump which is to imbibe the liquor as long
as they can, that there may be the more
room, from time to time, to cut off an inch
er two ofthe top, when it is grown fo faturate
with liquor that more will not pafs.

Tho’ Ever-greens are found to imbibe and
perfpire much lefs than other trees, yet is
| ; the

The Conclufion. 375
the quantity they perfpire fo confiderable,
that it has always been one of the greateft
difficulties in the ordering of a Green-houfe
to let in frefh air enough without expofing
the plants to too much cold. For fince the
perfpiration of trees will not be free and
kindly in aclofe damp air, the fap will be
apt to ftagnate, which will make the plants
stow moldy, or they will be fickly, by im-
bibing fuch damp rancid vapours; for by
Mr. Miller’s curious obfervations on the
perfpiration of the Péantam tree of the
Weft-Indies, and of the A/ve under Experi-
ment 5, plants will often imbibe moifture in
the night as well in ftoves as common Green-
houfes without fire ; it is certainly of as great
importance tothe life of the plants to dif-
charge that infected rancid air, by the ad-
mittance of frefh, as it is to defend them from
the extream cold of the outward air, which
will deftroy them if let in immediately upon
them. It feems therefore to be a very reafon-
able method which fome ufe, vze. to cover
fome of the inlets of their Green-houfes on
all fides with canvafs, and in extream cold
weather with fhutters made of reed or ftraw;
through which the air can only pafs in little
fireams: The like contrivance would pro=

bably

376 The Couclufion.

bably alfo be of good fervice to purify
gradually the thick rancid fumes which arife
from the dung of hot beds, and are often
very deftrudtive of the tender plants: This is
‘to imitate nature, which while fhe provides
for the defence of living creatures againft
the cold, by agood covering of Hair, Wool,
or Feathers, at the fame time fhe takes care
that the air may have admittance through
innumerable narrow meanders in fuch quan-
tities as may be fufficient to carry off the
per{piring matter.

I have here, and as occafion offered under
feveral of the foregoing Experiments, only
touched upon a few of the moft obvious
inftances, wherein thefe kind of refearches
may poflibly be of fervice in giving us ufe-
ful hints in the culture of plants: Tho’ I
am very fenfible, that it is from long ex-
perience chiefly that we are to expect the
moft certain rules of practice, yet it is with-
al to be remembred, that the likelieft method
to enable us to make the moft judicious
obfervations, and to put us upon the moft
probable means of improving any art, isto
get the beft infight we can into the nature
and properties of thofe things which we are
defirous to cultivate and improve.

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