[208] But we must not conclude, that these Particles, which pass through a Plant (being a vastly greater Quantity than those that abide in it for its Augment), are all unsuitable, because no one of them happens to hit upon a fit _Nidus_: For since the Life of Animals depends upon that of Plants, ’tis not unreasonable to imagine, that Nature may have provided a considerable Overplus for maintaining the Life of individual Plants, when she has provided such an innumerable Overplus for continuing every Species of Animals. But suppose these cast-off Particles were, when taken in, unfit for the Nourishment of any manner of Vegetables: Then the Doctor must fansy the Wheat to be of a very scrupulous Conscience, to feed on these Particles, which were neither fit for its own Nourishment, nor of any other Plant; and at the same time to forbear to take the Food of Barley, Pease, and Oats, letting that _lie still and undisturb’d the while_, as he says it does, tho’ he gives no manner of Reason for it. ’Tis needless to bring stronger Arguments, than the Doctor’s Experiments afford, against his own vulgar Opinion, of Plants distinguishing the particular Sort of terrestrial Matter, that, he says, is proper to each Sort of _Vegetable_, in these Words; _viz._ ‘Each Sort takes forth that peculiar Matter that is proper for its own Nourishment, the _rest lying all quiet and undisturb’d the while_.’ He says, that great Part of the terrestrial Matter, mixed with the Water, passes up into the Plant along with it; which it could not do, if only the peculiar Matter, proper to each Plant, did pass up into it: And after he has shewed how apt the vegetable Matter is to attend Water in all its Motions, and to follow it into each of its Recesses; being by no Filtrations or Percolations wholly separable from it; ’tis strange he should think that each Plant leaves the greatest Part of it behind, separated from the Water which the Plant imbibes.