24
A DISCOURSE
book i. that the careful cracking and opening of stones, which include thekernels, as soon as ripe, precipitate growth, and gain a year’s advancebut this is erroneous. Now, if you gather them in moist weather, laythem a drying, and so keep them till you sow, which may be as soon asyou please after Christmas . If they spire out before you fow them, besure to commit them to the earth before the sprout grows dry, or elseexpect little from them: And whenever you sow, if you prevent not thelittle field-mouse, he will be sure to have the better share k .
“ a11 their powers, both inhaling and exhaling, it can hardly be thought, but that it may
“ be a sufficient counterbalance to it, and that the remedy is adequate to the evil_
“ Dr. Franklin, who, as I have already observed, saw some of my plants in a very flourishing“ state, in highly noxious air, was pleased to exprefs very great satisfaction with the“ result of the experiments. In his answer to the letter in which I informed him of it“ he says, “ That the vegetable creation should restore the air which is spoiled by the animal part of itlooks like a rational system, and seems to be of a piece noith the rest,. Thus fire purifies neater all thenvorld over. It [turfies it by distillation,, nohen it raises it in vapours, and lets it fall in rain ■ andfarther still by filtration, nohen, keeping fluid, it suffers that rain to percolate the earth. We knenobefore that putrid animal substances nuere converted into sweet vegetables , nohen mixed -with the earth , andapplied as manure i and now,, it seems , that the same putrid substances, mixed with the air, have asimilar effect. The strong thriving state of your mint in putrid air, seems to show that the air is mended
by taking something from it, and not by adding to it.” -Experiments and Observations on
different Kinds of Air, p. 86—94.. Vol. I.
Every one who has a pleasure in contemplating and reflecting upon the wisdom of God in the creation, must be delighted with the harmony of the above system; but some foreignphilosophers have lately introduced a new theory in hopes of destroying it entirely. Theytell US that vegetables, during the day time, are continually perspiring through their leavesoxigene, or good air, and that in the night time, the same system of vefsels pour forthazote, or impure air. If this kind of reasoning be founded upon correct experiment, weshould form our plantations at some distance from our habitations, in order that these twoopposite kinds of air may be well mixed with the surrounding atmospheric air before theyfind their way into the family-apartments. We should also forbid the introduction ofplants into our parlours and drawing-rooms, in order to guard against those diseases thatare supposed to originate in an excefs, or deficiency, either of azote or oxigene. To enterfurther into, the medical history of those airs would in this place be thought improper.
k It must be confefsed that sowing of Acorns, Beech-Mast, Ash-Keys, &c. in theAutumn, when those seeds fall spontaneously from the trees, appears by much the mostnatural method; but the destruction made by the field-mouse upon those seeds, both atthe time of sowing and during the winter, has induced many gentlemen to prefer Spring-sowing to the Autumnal one. When the first is determined on, the acorns and otherseeds must be carefully preserved during the winter; and, in forming the magazines, caremust be taken to keep the different sorts apart from each other. It is not customary topreserve the acorns, &c. in the manner recommended by Mr. Evelyn; but, as he alwaysspeaks from experience, his method should not be rashly condemned..