of Opinion, That for Nourishment of Vegetables , the Water is almost all in all; and that the Earth doth but keep the Plant upright, and save it from over-heat, and over-cold [2]. Others there are who are still more express; and assert Water to be the only Principle or Ingredient of all Natural Things. They suppose that, I cannot tell by what Process of Nature, Water is transmuted into Stones , into Plants , and in brief, all other Substances whatever. Helmont ,[3] particularly, and his Followers , are very positive in this; and offer some Experiments to render it credible. Nay, a very Extraordinary Person of our own Nation [4] tries those Experiments over again; and discovers a great Propensity to the same Thoughts and Opinion they had; declaring for this Transmutation of Water into Plants and other Bodies , though with great Modesty and Deference, which was his usual manner.
The Experiments they insist upon are chiefly two; the first is, that Mint, and several other
Plants prosper and thrive very greatly in Water. The other is this; they take a certain quantity of Earth, and bake it in an Oven; then they weigh it, and put it into an Earthen Pot. Having well water'd this Earth, they make choice of some fit Plant, which, being first carefully weigh'd, they set in it. There they let it grow, continuing to water it for some time, till 'tis much advanced in bigness: Then they take it up; and though the Bulk and Weight of the Plant be much greater than when first set, yet upon baking the Earth, and weighing it, as at first, they find it little or not at all diminished in weight; and therefore conclude, 'tis not the Earth but Water, that nourishes and is turn'd into the Substance of the Plant.
I must confess I cannot see how this Experiment can ever be made with the nicety and justness that