Miscellanea Curiosa, Vol. 1: Containing a collection of some of the principal phaenomena in nature, accounted for by the greatest philosophers of this age
History
Miscellanea Curiosa, Vol. 1: Containing a collection of some of the principal phaenomena in nature, accounted for by the greatest philosophers of this age
Natural history; Science -- Early works to 1800; Voyages and travels -- Early works to 1800
1. _In Plants of the same kind, the less they are in Bulk, the smaller
the Quantity of the fluid Mass, in which they are set, is drawn off; the
Dispendium of it, where the Mass is of equal thickness, being pretty
nearly proportion'd to the Bulk, of the Plant._ Thus that in the Glass
mark'd A, which weigh'd only 27 Grains, drew off but 2558 Grains of the
Fluid; and that in B, which weigh'd only 28¼, took up but 3004
Grains; whereas that in H, which weigh'd 127 Grains, spent 14190 Grains
of the Liquid Mass.
The Water seems to ascend up the _Vessels_ of Plants, in much the same
manner as up a Filtre; and 'tis no great wonder that a larger Filtre
should draw off more Water than a lesser; or that a Plant that has more
and larger Vessels, should take up a greater share of the Fluid in which
it is set, than one that has fewer and smaller ones can. Nor do I note
this as a thing very considerable in it self, but chiefly in regard to
what I am about to offer beneath; and that it may be seen that, in my
other Collations of Things, I made due Allowance for this Difference.
2. _The much greatest part of the fluid Mass, that is thus drawn off and
convey'd into the Plants, does not settle or abide there; but passes
through the pores of them, and exhales up into the Atmosphere._ That the
Water in these Experiments ascended only through the Vessel of the
Plants, is certain. The _Glasses_ F and G, that had no Plants in them,
though disposed of in like manner as the rest, remain'd at the End of
the Experiment, as at first; and none of the Water was gone off. And
that the greatest part of it flies off from the Plant into the
Atmosphere, is as certain. The least Proportion of the Water expended,
was to the Augment of the Plant, as 46 or 50 to 1. And in some the
weight of the Water drawn off, was 100, 200, nay, in one above 700 times
as much as the Plant had received of Addition.
This so continual an Emission and Detachment of Water, in so great
Plenty from the Parts of Plants, affords us a manifest Reason why
Countries that abound with Trees, and the larger Vegetables especially,
should be very obnoxious to Damps, great Humidity in the Air, and more
frequent Rains, than others that are more open and free. The great
Moisture in the Air, was a mighty inconvenience and annoyance to those
who first settled in _America_; which at that time was much overgrown
with Woods and Groves. But as these were burnt and destroy'd, to make
way for Habitation and Culture of the Earth, the Air mended and clear'd
up apace, changing into a Temper much more dry and serene than before.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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