Moreover, that since the dissimilar Leaves by their Basis intercept the Root and Plume, the greater and grosser part of the Sap may be by the way deposited into those; and so the purest proceed into the yet but young and delicate Plume, as its fittest Aliment.
Lastly, we have here a demonstration of the being of the Seminal Root; which since through the colour or smallness of the Seed, it could not by dissection be observ’d, except in some few; Nature hath here provided us a way of viewing it in the now effoliated Lobes, not of one or two Seeds, but of hundreds; the Seminal Root visibly branching it self towards the Cone and Verges of the said Lobes, or now dissimilar Leaves.
CHAP. II.
Of the Root.
Having examin’d and pursu’d the Degrees of Vegetation in the Seed, we find its two Lobes have here their utmost period; and, that having conveyed their Seminalities into the Radicle and into the Plume; these therefore as the Root and Trunk of the Plant still survive; Of these in their order we next proceed to speak; and first, of the Root: whereof, as well as of the Seed, we must by Dissection inform our selves.
In Dissection of a Root then, we shall find it with the Radicle, as the Parts of an old man with those of a Fœtus, substantially one. The first Part occurring is its skin, the Original whereof is from the Seed: For that extream thin Cuticle which is spred over the Lobes of the Seed, and from thence over the Radicle, upon the shooting of the Radicle into a Root, is co-extended, and becomes its Skin.
The next Part is the Cortical Body; the Original whereof likewise is from the Seed; or the Parenchyma, which is there common both to the Lobes and Radicle, being by Vegetation augmented and prolonged into the Root, is here the Cortical Body, or that which is sometimes called the Barque.
The Contexture of this Cortical Body may be well illustrated by that of a Sponge, being a Body Porous, Dilative, and Pliable. Its Pores, as they are innumerable, so extream small. These Pores are not only susceptive of so much Moisture as to fill, but also to enlarge themselves, and so to dilate the Cortical Body wherein they are; which by the shriv’ling in thereof, by being expos’d to the Air, is also seen. In which dilatation many of its Parts becoming more lax and distant, and none of them suffering a solution of their continuity; ’tis a Body also sufficiently pliable; or, a most exquisitely fine-wrought Sponge.
The Extention of these Pores is much alike both by their length and breadth of the Root; which from the shrinking up of the Cortical Body, in a piece of a cut Root, by the same dimensions, is argu’d.