CHAPTER XII. 



VEGETABLE GROWTH. 



988. As already shown, vegetable growth consists (1) in the 

 formation of new cells, (2) in the increase in size of previously 

 existing ones, or, (3) as is commonly the case, in both of these 

 processes taking place simultaneously. In the production of 

 new cells and in the augmentation of cells in size there are cer- 

 tain chemical and physical phenomena which always accompany 

 the morphological changes. 



981). The chemical changes are essentially those which have 

 been described under Transmutation and Respiration ; available 

 matters change their character in order to be utilized in the for- 

 mation and increase in size of cells. The physical phenomena 

 are chiefly those which accompany oxidation ; namely, the evolu- 

 tion of heat and the production of electrical disturbances. 



990. The materials used by the plant for the formation of new 

 structures are produced by assimilation ; and in annuals a large 

 part of the assimilated matter is consumed in growth as soon 

 as it is made. But, in perennials, especially in those which 

 belong to climates where vegetation has periods of rest, a por- 

 tion of the assimilated matter is stored up for future use. The 

 rapidity of the growth from buds in the spring is due to the 

 abundant supply of assimilated matters prepared during the pre- 

 ceding summer. 



991. Hence growth i s not necessarilv associated with increase 



o \f 



in weight. In fact, in the growth of new parts from a bulb or 

 tuber, although there is a marked increase of volume, there is, at 

 first, an actual loss of dry substance through oxidation. More- 

 over, one part may grow at the expense of another ; and we may 

 have under certain conditions the anomalv of an increase in 



4/ 



volume of new organs, with simultaneous but larger decrease in 

 size of older parts, so that the result, as regards the whole, is 

 diminution of weight. 



992. Morphological changes in the cells. The two processes 

 involved in ordinary growth, namelv, increase of cells in number 



.' <-J i/ ' 



and in size, may go on together. But growing cells belong to 



