the Agric. 1. 2. c. 6. Security of the Seed, whilst it hangs upon Plant; but after it is mature and fallen upon the Earth, for the Stercoration of the Soil, and Promotion of the Growth, though not the first Germination of the Seminal Plant. Hence (as * Petrus de Crefcentiis tells us) Husbandmen, to make their Vines bear, manure them with Vine-leaves, or the Husks of expreft Grapes; and they observe thofe to be moft fruitful, which are fo manured with their own: Which Obfervation holds true alfo in all other Trees and Herbs. But befides this Ufe of the Pulp or Pericarpium, for the Guard and Benefit of the Seed, it ferves also by a fecondary Intention of Nature in many Fruits for the Food and Suftenance of Man and other Animals. Another Thing worthy the noting in Seeds, and argumentative of Providence and Design, is that papofe Plumage growing upon the Tops of fome of them, whereby they are capable of being wafted with the Wind, and by that Means scatter'd and diffeminated far and wide. Furthermore, moft Seeds having in them a Seminal Plant perfectly form'd, as the Young is in the Womb of Animals, the elegant Complication thereof in fome Species is a very pleafant and admirable Spectacle; so that no Man that hath a Soul in him can imagine or believe it was fo form'd and folded up without Wisdom and Providence. But of this I have spoken already. Laftly, Laftly, The immenfe Smalnefs of fome Seeds, not to be seen by the naked Eye, so that the Number of Seeds produced at once in fome one Plant; as for Example, Reedmace [Tipha Paluftris] Harts-Tongue, and many Sorts of Ferns, may amount to a Million, is a convincing Argument of the infinite Understanding and Art of the Former of them. And it is remarkable that fuch Moffes as grow upon Walls, the Roofs of Houses and other high Places, have Seeds fo exceffively fmall, that when fhaken out of their Veffels they appear like Vapour or Smoke, fo that they may either afcend of themfelves, or by an eafie Impulfe of the Wind be rais'd up to the Tops of Houses, Walls or Rocks: And we need not wonder how the Moffes got thither, or imagine they sprung up fpontaneously there. I might alfo take Notice of many other Particulars concerning Vegetables, as, First, That because they are defign'd for the Food of Animals, therefore Nature hath taken more extraordinary Care, and made more abundant Provifion for their Propagation and Encrease fo that they are multiplied and propagated not only by the Seed, but many also by the Root, producing Off-fets or creeping under Ground, many by Strings or Wires running above Ground, as Strawberry, and the like, fome by Slips or Cuttings, and fome by feveral of these Ways. And for the Security of fuch Species as are produc'd only by Seed, it hath endued all Seed with a lasting Vitality, that so if by Reason of exceffive exceffive Cold, or Drought, or any other Accident, it happen not to germinate the first Year, it will continue its Foecundity, I do not fay two or three, nor fix or feven, but even twenty or thirty Years; and when the Impediment is remov'd, the Earth in fit Cafe, and the Season proper, fpring up, bear Fruit, and.continue its Species. Hence it is that Plants are sometimes loft for a while in Places where they formerly abounded; and again, after fome Years, appear new: Loft either because the Springs were not proper for their Germination, or because the Land was fallow'd, or because Plenty of Weeds or other Herbs prevented their coming up, and the like, and appearing again when thefe Impediments are remov'd. Secondly, That fome Sorts of Plants, as Vines, all Sorts of Pulse, Hops, Briony, all Pomiferous Herbs, Pumpions, Melons, Gourds, Cucumbers, and divers other Species, that are weak and unable to raise or fupport themselves, are either endued with a Faculty of twining about others that are near, or else furnish'd with Claspers and Tendrils, whereby, as it were with Hands, they catch Hold of them, and fo ramping upon Trees, Shrubs, Hedges or Poles, they mount up to a great Height, and fecure themselves and their Fruit. Thirdly, That others are arm'd with Prickles and Thorns, to fecure them from the Browfing of Beafts, as alfo to fhelter others that grow under them. Moreover they are hereby render'd very useful to Man, as if defign'd by Nature to make both Quick and Dead Hedges Hedges and Fences. The great Naturalist Pliny hath given an ingenious Account of the Providence and Design of Nature in thus arming and fencing them in these Words. Inde (fpeaking of Nature) excogitavit aliquas afpectu bifpidas, tactu truces, ut tantùm non vocem ipfius Natura fingentis illas, rationemque reddentis exaudire videamur, ne fe depafcat avida quadrupes, ne procaces manus rapiant, ne neglecta veftigia obterant, ne infidens ales infringat; his muniendo aculeis telifque armando, remediis ut falva ac tuta fint. Ità boc quoque quod in iis odimus hominum caufà excogitatum eft. It is worthy the noting, That Wheat, which is the best Sort of Grain, of which the pureft, most savory and wholesome Bread is made, is patient of both Extreams, Heat and Cold, growing and bringing its Seed to Maturity, not only in temperate Countries, but alfo on one Hand in the Cold and Northern, viz. Scotland, Denmark, &c. on the other, in the hottest and most Southerly, as Egypt, Barbary, Mauritania, the Eaft-Indies, Guinea, Madagafcar, &c. fcarce refufing any Climate. Nor is it lefs obfervable, and not to be commemorated without Acknowledgment of the Divine Benignity to us, that (as Pliny rightly notes) nothing is more fruitful than Wheat, Quod ei natura (faith he ) [rectiùs natura Parens] tribuit, quòd co maxime hominem alit, utpote cùm è modio, fi & aptum folum, quale in Byzacio Africa campo centeni quinquaginta modii reddentur. Mifit ex eo loco Divo Augufto procu rator rator ejus ex uno grano (vix credibile dictu) 400 paucis minus germina: Mifit & Neroni fimiliter: 360 ftipulas ex uno grano. "Which Fertility. "Nature (he fhould have faid, the Author of "Nature) hath confer'd upon it, because it feeds "Man chiefly with it. One Bufhel, if fown " in a fit and proper Soil, fuch as is Byzacium, a Field of Africa, yielding 150 of annual "Encrease; Auguftus's Procurator fent him "from that Place 400 within a few Blades СС fpringing from the fame Grain: And to "Nero were fent thence 360." If Pliny a Heathen could make this Fertility of Wheat argumentative of the Bounty of God to Man, making fuch plentiful Provision for him of that which is of moft pleasant Taste and wholesome Nourishment, furely it ought not to be paffed over by us Chriftians without Notice taking and Thanksgiving, * Dr. More As for the Signatures of Plants, or the Notes impreffed upon them, as Indices of their Virtues, tho' * fome lay great Stress upon them, accounting them ftrong Ar- Antid. 1. 2. guments to prove, that fome understanding Principle is the highest Original of e Works of Nature; as indeed they were, c. 6. dd it certainly be made appear, that there were fuch Marks defignedly fet upon them; because all that I find mention'd and collected by Authors, feem to me to be rather fancied by Men, than defign'd by Nature to fignifie or point out any fuch Virtues or Qualities as they would make us believe. I have elsewhere, I think |