An entire body of philosophy according to the principles of the famous Renate Des Cartes in three books, (I) the institution ... (II) the history of nature ... (III) a dissertation of the want of sense and knowledge in brute animals ... / written originally in Latin by the learned Anthony Le Grand ; now carefully translated from the last corrections, alterations, and large additions of the author, never yet published ... by Richard Blome.

CHAP. VI. Of the Original of Plants.

I. Whether Plants grow with∣out Seed. IT is believed that some Plants grow of them∣selves without Seed; such as Asarabacca which grows sometimes upon Walls; and a kind of Mai∣denhair which grows on the sides of Wells and near moist places. Besides, many other Herbs which of themselves sprout out of the mould that hath been deep dug out of the ground.

II. The opini∣on of the Cabalists. They who attribute the virtue of inferiour things to the Stars, and suppose that nothing can be done upon Earth, without the concurring help of the Heavenly Influences, refer the original of Plants to the Sun, or any of the other Planets or Stars, as making them the Authors of all Sublunary Genera∣tions. And therefore such as these are of the opi∣nion of the Cabalists who precisely assert, That there is no Herb or Plant here below, which hath not his Star in the Firmament, which strikes with its Rays, and bids it grow. But having before treated to the power of the Stars, and taken it for granted that our Modern Philosophers are not so weak as to attribute all particular effects to general Causes, we must look out elsewhere for the Origi∣nal of Plants.

III. The opinion of some Philoso∣phers. Some are of opinion, that all Plants spring from the fortuitous meeting of some Earthly par∣ticles, as when the insensible parts of the Earth being agitated in the upper Crust of the Ground by the subtil matter do acquire such a figure, to∣gether with such a situation and motion, as is ne∣cessary for the first formation of the Plant: And from whence, as to the foundation, all the other parts afterwards are reared, whilst the Nutritious Juice mounting up through this first Rudiment of the Plant, doth dilate the parts, and assigns a certain figure to them. They suppose indeed that the Generation of Plants is somewhat Analogous to that of Animals, viz. when Plants do arise or spring from a Seed sown: Because the Seed in this case resembles the Egg of Animals, as confisting of a Bud, a Shell, Membrans, and a Yolk. Yet with this difference, that the distinction of Sexes is not requisit to the generation of a Plant, be∣cause every Plant gives forth its Seed in the Fruit it produceth; which Seed doth not stand in need

of a Womb to receive and cherish it, since the Fruit it self supplies that place. But yet for all this they suppose also that Plants may be Genera∣ted without either Root or Seed.

IV. Herbs some∣times grow on the sur∣face of the Sea-water. For they observe with the Antients, that Herbs grow on the top of the Sea, and that these are the product or effect of the coagulated Sliminess of the Water, wherein the heat of the Fire is most pre∣dominant, and the Sea moves more slowly than in other parts of it. Yea there are some who have made it their observation more than once, that Herbs have sprung out of Snow that hath been kept a long while, which Herbs they have found to be of a bitter Taste. Neither can this be any matter of so great wonder to us, when we find that Worms, not much unlike those which are genera∣ted in our Bodies, are sometimes generated out of Snow, as some ingenious persons in Germany have lately observed.

V. From cal∣cin'd Earth several Plants have been produced. Others again have observed, that Herbs have sprung forth from burnt or calcin'd Earth, espe∣cially after it hath been watered with a copious Shower. Because by the power of Heat, the par∣ticles of Bodies are as it were let out of their pri∣sons, and joining variously together, do form the Rudiments of Plants; which the moisture doth further unite and work together. Now that in this Earth the Seeds of Vegetables lie hid, may be gathered from this, that if after it is burnt it be exposed to the Air and Rain again, it brings forth divers Vegetables.

VI. By what means a Wood could spring up without the sowing of any Seeds. Historians tell us, that a great Wood sprung up out of the ground in Cyrene, after the falling of great and copious Showers, which extended it self to many miles. And THEOPHRASTUS Histor. Lib. 6. Cap. 3. says that a famous Tree called Laser (which PLINY reckons amongst one of the excellent gifts of Nature, as being of great use in many Medicinal Compositions, and strengthning concoction in Old Men and Women) sprang out of the Earth in those parts, after a shower of Rain, whereas before it had been there altogether unknown.

Some imagine that this great Wood and useful Tree did not spontaneosly, or of themselves spring out of the ground, but from Seeds carried thither by the Winds. But they suppose there is no necessity to grant this, forasmuch as THEOPHRASTUS tells us, that the ground in Crete can scarcely be turn'd up, but that Cypress Trees do spring up from it, and this not from any foreign Seeds con∣veyed thither, but because the ground there a∣bounds with particles, which, when exposed to the Air and agitation of the Sun Beams, do form the Rudiments of those Trees. And the reason, say they, why the same doth not happen in other ground, is because the particles of Seed, cannot be so mingled and grow together, as is necessary to form the first organization of those Plants. For it is a thing notorious beyond all dispute, that every ground is not proper to bring forth all man∣ner of Plants; for we see that those Plants which grow in great abundance in both the Indies, Bra∣sile, Arabia, &c. will not grow in England or Flanders, or other northern parts of the World. Yea in one and the same Country some Plants grow in one part, and not in the other of it, ac∣cording to the peculiar quality and disposition of the ground. So that they suppose that Woods may be generated, not only by the industry of Man, or by Seeds carried by the Winds, but from parti∣cles found in the ground, which by heat may be so disposed, as to shoot up into different Plants.

VII. Hedg Mu∣stard grows without Seed. Wherefore it cannot seem strange that on the Dikes that are cast up in the Isle of Ely for the draining of the Fenny Grounds such vast quantities of Mustard Seed should grow, tho' never any known in the memory of men to have grown there before. So likewise after the Dreadful Fire of London great quantities of the Narrow Leav'd Ne∣apolitan Hedge-Mustard was known to grow in the Ruins of this City, according to the relation of many Credible Authors, whereas for many hun∣dreds of years the ground had been built with Houses, nor ever any such Herb was known to grow there, so that it must be concluded, that ei∣ther this Herb did grow of it self there, or that it grew up from Seeds that had so long been hid in the ground, which none will easily admit.

VIII. How Plants grow upon the tops of Houses and Rocks. But all difficulty will be removed as to this point, if we consider how Plants grow upon Walls, the tops of Houses and Rocks: To which places it is not easie to be conceived how any Seeds should be conveyed; and therefore it seems most obvious to conclude, that they proceed from large and plentiful Showers, which leave some slimy matter upon the said Walls and Rocks, which being che∣rished and assisted by the Suns Prolifick Heat doth bring forth Herbs. It cannot be doubted, but that many particles of the Earth do mingle themselves with the steams that do continually ascend from it; which afterwards when the said steams or va∣pors are turned into Rain, fall down again, and cleave to rough Bodies, and when the water is again rarefied into vapor, do remain behind upon the said Bodies in the form of Slime or Mud, out of which afterwards many Plants do bud.

IX. All Plants proceed from Seeds. But notwithstanding all these Reasons and Ex∣periments, our modern Philosophers believe that all Vegetables are formally contained in their Seeds▪ and that they are not formed by apposition of parts as Stones and Metals are, but at once and all to∣gether like perfect Animals. They cannot ima∣gin how the fortuitous concourse of divers particles can form that vast number of similar parts as well as organical, which enter the composition of every Plant. Neither can they any more conceive how the pores of the grain of Seed that is cast into the ground should be so disposed, as that the Juices which penetrate them, should of themseves range themselves into that order, wherein consists the form of each Plant. Wherefore they conclude that all Plants were formed together and at once, and that they are so comprised one in another, that the latter are only an uncasing or unfolding of that which was contained in the first Plants.

X. This con∣firmed by the instanc•• of a Bean. Accordingly we see that a Bean contains for∣mally the Root, Stalks and Leaves of the other Bean that is to grow from it; which therefore makes it probable that this 2d Bean does again contain a 3d, and this 3d a 4th, and so on to an infinity. So that we are to consider the growing of Plants only as a repetition of Generations per∣formed every year, by the production of new Leaves, Flowers and Fruits, whose Branches actu∣ally contain an infinity of others; and to con∣ceive that of all the Leaves, Flowers and Fruits that are actually formed in the Branches, there be

only a certain number that can be unfolded every year.

XI. Malpighi∣us's Expe∣riment to this purpose. MALPIGHIUS designing to make a trial whether Earth, without being sown with any Seed, could bring forth Herbs of it self, put some Earth which had been dug deep out of the ground into a Glass Vessel, and bound over it a manifold doubled piece of Silk, so as that the Air and Wa∣ter might pass through it to the Mould, and yet keep off those small Seeds that are carried up and down in the Air; but he could never find that any Herb ever sprouted in the said Glass.

XII. God is the Author of the first Plant of very Spe∣••s or Kind. So that we must conclude that the first Plant of every kind was at the beginning produced by God, when he divided the matter of the World into parts of that exact bigness and figure, as they were to be in order to their composing the Buds of each kind of Plants. But not that they were produced according to the before-mentioned opini∣on of some Philosophers, from the fortuitous con∣course of many principles, which so united them∣selves together, as to form such a Plant; for if this were so, we should see sometimes Plants of new kinds produced, which never hapning, we must conclude, that God is the Author of the first Plants of each kind.

XIII. The cutting or lopping of Plants conduceth to the con∣servation of them. Plants that are frequently cut, cropt or lopt, do grow the better, and live so much the longer.

The Reason is, because frequent Amputation doth renew the Juice of the Plant, by keeping it from spending it self too much in luxuriant and supernumerary Branches. So that Plants that are wont to live one year only, if they be not cut in time, when they are duly cropt, will outlive that time; such as Lettice, Purslain, Cucumbers and the like. And as to Trees, we find that such as are not used to be lopt, do never attain to the tallness of other Trees of the same kind, on which Amputation is celebrated.

XIV. Why Plants growing in different places, are endued with diffe∣rent pro∣perties. Plants that grow in the Philippine Islands are indued with different qualities, and as they are planted or grow towards several quarters of the World, they are accordingly indued with various affections. For those Leaves which grow towards the East are good and healthful; whereas those which grow towards the West are poisonous and deleterious. So with us, those Apples that grow near those places where there is great store of Cab∣bage, yield a strong and stinking smell.

The Reason is, because some Effluvia do exhale either from the Earth, or some neighbouring Plants, which impart some noxious qualities to the Leaves and Fruits of the said Trees or Plants. For it is notorious, that poisonful Trees or Herbs do com∣municate their venom to Bodies that grow near them. Because the ascending vapors carry always somewhat of the same Earth along with them, from whence they ascend; and young and tender Plants that grow near to stinking or noxious, are easily affected and infected by them.

XV. Plants are endued with the qualities of the Nutri∣ment they take in. Thus we see that the Wine that is made of the Grapes of a Vine that hath had White Hellebor or Herb Mercury grow near it, becomes purgative: And in like manner, that the Fruits of any Tree be∣come Narcotick, Venomous, Diuretick, &c. if their Roots be moistned with such like Juices. Where∣fore to make Plumbs purgative, it is a common thing to bore several holes in the Trunk of the Trees, and put into them the Juice of Hellebor or Colloquintida, by which means their qualities are imparted to the Tree.

XVI. What is the reason of the degene∣rating of Plants. It is matter of common Experience, for Plants to grow wild, and degenerate from what they were. Thus a Fig-tree degenerates into the Wild Fig-tree, Barley into Oats; besides many other such like Transmutations.

This degenerating of Plants proceeds either from the negligence of the Husbandman, the situation of the place, or the quantity of the Ambient Air. For Plants grow wild, except they be set in places that are fit and suitable to them, and that they be so cultivated as their Nature doth require. Which tho' it is evident in many Plants, yet in none more than in Violets set or sown for encrease, which if they be not every 3 years transplanted, do dege∣nerate into a pitiful Flower without any scent at all.

The Reason of which deficiency is, because the Rudiments of Plants in their first original do require a certain determinate matter, out of which their texture and disposition of Plants must be produced. And forasmuch as such matter is not to be met with in all places, where the Seed is sown, it is no wonder if the Plants in such ground do dege∣nerate and become changed into others. For this change is not made in the Root, but in the Seed it self, whilst it doth not find convenient and suitable matter, or when by reason of old age, having lost its vigor, it must necessarily change its nature. Hence skilful Gardners are wont to make trial of the goodness of their Seeds by putting them into boiling water, which if they be lively and vigo∣rous, will in an hours time begin to sprout.

XVII. Why the quarter of Heaven to which the parts of a Plant were directed, is to be obser∣ved in the translating of them. Amongst the Rules that are given by the Anti∣ents for the setting of Plants, this is one; that care be had that the Plants removed from one place to another, be set so, as that their parts may an∣swer to the same quarters of Heaven, as they did in their former station.

The Reason is, because when the aspect of Trees is changed from one quarter of the Heaven to ano∣ther, the inward disposition of the parts is changed together with it, and the passages whereby the nourishment is conveyed, are altered, and acquire another situation. For if any will make the Ex∣periment by cutting the stem of a Tree grown in an open Field, with a Sithe, he will perceive seve∣ral Circles that are broader towards the South, and narrower towards the North. Which cannot be adscribed to any other cause, but to the Heat, which proceeding more copiously from the South, doth more strongly agitate the particles of the Tree, and more extends the Veins of it, than that warmth which comes from the North. And tho' this diffe∣rence be not to be found in Brazile-wood, all the Circles whereof are Concentrical, and at an equal distance from each other, the Reason is, because in the Torrid Zone Trees receive an equal degree of heat from the North, as from the South. Hence it is that from the position of these Circles some have taught how to find out the Meridian: And the more skilful Gardners and Husbandmen enjoin transplanted Trees to be set with the same respect to the quarter of Heaven, which they had in their former position.