La Statique des Và gà taux, et lâ Analyse de lâ Air. Expà riences nouvelles lues à la Socià tà Royale de Londres Hales, Stephen Agriculture,Biology,Science

First French edition of Halesâ s Vegetable Staticks (originally published in London, 1727), a foundational work in plant physiology and experimental biology, translated and introduced by the eminent naturalist Buffon. In this landmark text, Hales presents his systematic experiments on the movement of sap, transpiration, and plant respiration, effectively demonstrating that plants "breathe" and that air plays a vital role in their life processes. He also measured the pressure of sap and was the first to quantify gas exchange in plants, anticipating later discoveries about oxygen and photosynthesis. This 1735 French translation, La Statique des Và gà taux, made Halesâ s findings accessible to the European scientific community and greatly influenced the Enlightenment natural philosophers and early chemists, including Priestley and Lavoisier. The work is illustrated with fine folding engraved plates (signed by Matthieu Oesterreicher, engraver for Buffon and the Acadà mie Royale des Sciences), depicting Halesâ s apparatus and experimental setups for measuring sap flow, air content, and plant respiration. It remains a cornerstone in the history of plant physiology and early pneumatic chemistry. Condition & Binding:ÂContemporary full mottled calf, gilt spine with floral tooling and a red morocco title label (â STATIQUE DES VEGETAUXâ ), raised bands, and gilt board edges. Boards rubbed and scuffed, with wear to corners and head of spine, and minor splitting along upper joint, but structurally sound. The interior is crisp and bright with only minor age toning; the engraved plates are clean and well-preserved, showing minimal offsetting. Old paper label with bibliographic note mounted to the title page margin. Overall- very good.