350 ON TttE STEM °* T R EES « 



The line of life say intense study: though till now I have not had the 

 feme's that bear coura S e to ,a y the result before the public, till I found, that 

 the flowers. my discoveries were likely to be superseded and published 

 from the study of others : as I discovered, six years ago, 

 the second organ in plants, which was so well explained in 

 a paper in your excellent Journal, though rather too ob» 

 scure. I have not mentioned the sensitive plants, because 

 I have not yet completed my study of them; but I must 

 observe, they so intirely confirm my idea, that u the motion 

 of plants is caused almost wholly by the spiral nerves," 

 that when I lay them before the public, they will I hope 

 eradicate every remaining doubt that may be left in the 

 mind : and that they are only more or less sensitive, as the 

 length to which they are fastened is more or less extended. 



Dear Sir, 



Your obliged Servant, 



A. IBBETSON. 

 Belleveu, June 12th. 



Explanation of the Figures. 



Plate VII f, Fig. 7. Divisions of the wood in the stem of 

 trees ; «, the rind ; b, the bark ; c, the inner bark ; d, the 

 wood; e, the spiral nerves; /, the line of life; g, the 

 pith ; h, h, the silver grain; o, o, o, the bastard grain. 



Fig. 8. Cylinders of the inner bark. 



Fig. 9. Cylinders of the wood. 



Plate IX. Fig. 10. Part of a branch showing the manner 

 in which the line of life, cc 9 enters into the flower bud, a, 

 and passes by the leaf buds bb ; also the manner in which it 

 runs to avoid an injured part 



Fig. 11. A flower bud, showing the line of life, cc, 

 running up to each flower, a, «, «, cr, a, a, a, and the pith 

 terminating at b. 



Fig. 12. A seed vessel of the class syngenesia; o, the 

 calyx, 6, female florets, c, male and female florets. 



Fig. 13. Section just above the seed vessel of the dian- 

 thus. «, the calyx proceeding from the bark; b, the co- 

 rolla, from the inner bark ; c, c, c, c, c, ten stamens from 

 the wood; d, the seed vessel; e, the pistil from the circle 

 of life. 



III. On 





