Page:Philosophical Transactions - Volume 003.djvu/240

 knobs; and sometimes small branches will spirt out above, and sometimes about the part contused. To get the Gum of Plum-trees, I have sometimes wrench'd the branch, till the solid Timber hath crackt, and the Rind forc'd open in some parts; so leaving it to grow, but forc'd to continue in a posture somewhat wreathed, it hath not fail'd to yield me store of Gum next Summer.

Dr. T. A Branch, whose Bark of the breadth of about 2 or 3 Inches is taken off round towards the bottom, in some Trees, and particularly the Lime-tree, will live, and bear leaves for many years, and grow, as other branches, by means of the sap ascending through all the pores of the inner Coats, as was said above to the 3d Q. And it ought to be well observed, in what other Trees this will hold, and especially, whether it will not hold in all Trees, whose sap runs not out very plentifully: for, in such Trees, wherein there is a plentiful Issue of the Sap between the Bark and Body, probably the Branch will die; besides, some Air, as that of North and North-East, presently blasts open'd Trees.

To the 6th. Dr. B. Concerning the Use of the Pith in Vegetables, as whether the Juyce ascends or descends by it? It may be consider'd, That my Answers above do import that the Juyce, which descends by Tapping, and which maketh the pulp or coat of any fruit, ascends by the Bark or Rind of the Plant, not by the Pith. I now add (which I can affirm by many Experiments) that the Pith, and the Timber have some correspondence with the Seed of the Plant, to conveigh an ente course of the same Spirits and nature from the Root to the Seed.

The Experiments themselves, whereby the Worthy Doctor maketh this out, we must refer to another opportunity; as also his considerable Discourse already in our hands, giving Instances to shew, That there is a peculiar Correspondence, not onely between the Seed and the Pith, Heart or Timber of Plant; but also betmeen the Bark or Sap in the Bark, and the Pulp of the Fruit, or some encompassing Coat or Husk, or Cod, which contains the Seed.

Dr. T. answers to the same Q. Piths are of a very different nature and substance. In the Walnut, is a multitude of films manifestly distant from one another. In others, as in Elders Rh