The Quantity of Water spent upon it during that time, Gr. 2501. which is 7144⁄7 times as much as the Plant was augmented.
Several other Plants were try'd, that did not thrive in Water, or succeed any better than the Cataputia foregoing: But 'tis besides my purpose to give a particular Account of them here.
(F, G.) These Two Vials were fill'd, the former (F) with Rain, the other with Spring-water, at the same time as those above-mention'd were; and stood as long as they did. But they had neither of them any Plant; my Design in these being only to inform my self, whether any Water exhaled out of the Glasses, otherwise than thorow the Bodies of the Plants. The Orifices of these two Glasses were cover'd with Parchment; each piece of it being perforated with an hole of the same bigness with those of the Vials above. In this I suspended a bit of Stick, about the thickness of the Stem of one of the aforesaid Plants, but not reaching down to the Surface of the included Water. I put them in thus, that the Water in these might not have more Scope to evaporate than that in the other Vials. Thus they stood the whole 77 Days in the same Window with the rest; when, upon Examination, I found none of the Water in these wasted or gone off. Tho' I observed both in these, and the rest, especially after hot Weather, small Drops of Water, not unlike Dew, adhering to the Insides of the Glasses, that Part of them, I mean, that was above the Surface of the enclosed Water.
The Water in these two Glasses that had no Plants in them, at the end of the Experiment, exhibited a larger Quantity of Terrestrial Matter than that in any of those that had the Plants in them did. The Sediment at the bottom of the Vials was greater; and the Nubeculæ, diffus'd through the Body of the Water, thicker. And of that which was in the others, some of it proceeded from certain small Leaves that had fallen from that part of the Stems of the Plants that was within the Water, wherein they rotted and dissolved. The Terrestrial Matter in the Rain-water was finer than that in the Spring-water.
Anno 1692.
The Glasses made use of in this, were of the same sort with those in the former Experiment; and cover'd over with Parchment in like manner. The Plants here were all Spear-Mint; the most kindly, fresh, sprightly Shoots I could chuse. The Water, and the Plants were weigh'd as above; and the Vials set in a Line, in a South Window: where they stood from June the 2d to July 28. which was just 56 Days.
(H.) Hyde-Park Conduit Water, alone. The Mint weighed, when put in, 127 Gr. when taken out, 255 Gr. The whole Quantity of Water expended upon this Plant, amounted to 14190 Gr.
This was all along a very kindly Plant; and had run up to above two Foot in height. It had shot but one considerable collateral Branch; but had sent forth many and long Roots, from which sprung very numerous, though small and short, lesser Fibres. These lesser Roots came out of the larger on two opposite sides, for the most part; so that each Root, with its Fibrillæ, appear'd not unlike a small Feather. To these Fibrillæ adher'd pretty must Terrestrial Matter. In the Water, which was at last thick and turbid, was a green Substance, resembling a fine thin Conserva.
(I.) The same Water, alone. The Mint weigh'd, when put in, 110 Gr. when taken out, 249. Water expended, 13140 Gr.
This Plant was as kindly as the former, but had shot no collateral Branches. Its Roots, the Water, and the green Substance, all much as in the former.