HALES, Stephen (1677-1761)

Statical Essays: containing Vegetable Staticks; or, an Account of some Statical Experiments on the Sap in Vegetables ... Vol. I. ... Third Edition, with Amendments ... [With:] Statical Esays: Containing Haemastaticks; or, an Account of some Hydraulick and Hydrostatical Experiments made on the Blood and Blood-Vessels of Animals ... Vol. II

London: W. Innys and R. Manby [et. al.], 1738-1733. 2 volumes, 8vo. [6], x, [4], [2], 376; xxii, [26], 361, [1], [22]pp. 19 engraved plates.

Contemporary speckled calf, covers ruled in gilt, spines with raised bands, red morocco lettering piece.

Provenance: Sir William Foulis (armorial bookplate)

A classic of experimental science.

The first volume, first published in 1727 under the title Vegetable Staticks, was the "first complete account of the physiology of plants, including the reaction with air and movement of the sap" (Horblit). Hales measured the amount of water lost by trees and plants through evaporation and related this to the amount of water present in a given area of soil in which it was growing. He was the first to realize that trees and plants absorb carbon dioxide from the air and that it forms a vital part of their food supply. The separately published second volume, concerning the movement of blood in animals, was first published in 1733 (present here).

Henrey 779; ESTC T146738 and T146739; cf. Dibner 26; cf. Horblit 45a; cf. Norman 970; cf. PMM 189a; cf. Wall 11526; cf. Wellcome III:194.

Item #38701

Price: $2,200.00