The Second Part.

a Truth as that which these Experiments seem to hold forth, needs to be Confirm’d by more Witnesses then one, especially since the Extravagancies and Untruths to be met with in Helmonts Treatise of the Magnetick Cure of Wounds, have made his Testimonies suspected in his other Writings, though as to some of the Unlikely matters of Fact he delivers in them, I might safely undertake to be his Compurgator. But that Experiment of his which I was mentioning to You, he sayes, was this. He took 200 pound of Earth dry’d in an Oven, and having put it into an Earthen Vessel and moisten’d it with Raine water he planted in it the Trunk of a Willow tree of five pound Weight; this he Water’d, as need required, with Rain or with Distill’d Water; and to keep the Neighbouring Earth from getting into the Vessell, he employ’d a plate of Iron tinn’d over and perforated with many holes. Five years being efflux’d, he took out the Tree and weighed it, and (with computing the leaves that fell during four Autumnes) he found it to weigh 169 pound, and about three Ounces. And Having again Dry’d the Earth it grew in, he found it want of its Former Weight of 200 Pound, about a couple only of Ounces; so that 164 pound of the Roots, Wood, and Bark, which Constituted the Tree, seem to have Sprung from the Water. And though it appears not that Helmont had the Curiosity to make any Analysis of this Plant, yet what I lately told You I did to One of the Vegetables I nourish’d with Water only, will I suppose keep You from Doubting that if he had Distill’d this Tree, it would have afforded him the like Distinct Substances as another Vegetable of the same kind. I need not Subjoyne that I had it also in my thoughts to try how Experiments to the same purpose with those I related to You would succeed in other Bodies then Vegetables, because importunate Avocations having hitherto hinder’d me from putting my Design in Practise, I can yet speak but Confecturally of the Success: but the best is, that the Experiments already made and mention’d to you need not the Assistance of new Ones, to Verifie as much as my present task makes it concern me to prove by Experiments of this Nature.