fine Cloth twelve times doubled. Nay, I have done this over and over; and yet a considerable quantity of this Matter discover'd it self in the Water after all. Now if it thus pass Interstices, that are so very small and fine along with the Water, 'tis the less strange it should attend it in its passage through the Ducts and Vessels of Plants. 'Tis true, filtering and distilling of Water intercepts and makes it quit some of the Earthy Matter it was before impregnated withal: But then that which continues with the Water after this, is fine and light; and such consequently, as is in a peculiar manner fit for the Growth and Nourishment of Vegetables. And this is the Case of Rain-water. The Quantity of Terrestrial Matter it bears up into the Atmosphere, is not great. But that which it does bear up, is mainly of that light kind of Vegetable Matter; and that too perfectly dissolved, and reduced to single Corpuscles, all fit to enter the Tubules and Vessels of Plants: On which Account 'tis, that this Water is so very fertile and prolifick.
The Reason, why in this Proposition, I say, only a great part of the Terrestrial Matter that is mix'd with the Water, ascends up with it into the Plant, is, because all of it cannot. The Mineral Matter is a great deal of it, not only gross and ponderous, but scabrous and inflexible; and so not disposed to enter the Pores of the Roots. And a great many of the simple Vegetable Particles by degrees unite, and form some of them small Clods or Moleculæ; such as those mention'd in H, K, and L, sticking to the Extremities of the Roots of those Plants. Others of them intangle in a looser manner; and form the Nubeculæ, and green Bodies, so commonly observ'd in stagnant Water. These, when thus conjoin'd, are too big to enter the Pores, or ascend up the Vessels of Plants, which singly they might have done. They who are conversant in