374 ANNUAL OF SCIENTIFIC DISCOVERY. 



seeds, come under this law, and appear incapable of formation apart from 

 forces which develop this form. We may, I think, take it for granted, that if 

 atoms have an existence in solid bodies, they must be circular, or something 

 very like it, the eccentricity arising from gravity and more imperceptible 

 causes, because there is (and this is mathematically correct) no reason why 

 any great variation from the circle should exist in the production of any 

 independent form, seeing that the components of atoms approach each 

 other in regular succession from the various points without the forming 

 atom, and this for all composing the different kinds of solid matter. The 

 same of course applies to the numberless components of atoms, which we 

 may perhaps call particles, if indeed such either exist or are capable of ra- 

 tional supposition. Let us suppose, then, that all substances which, receiv- 

 ing various matter, produce 'different vegetable forms, are composed of 

 almost circular atoms. This state can be imagined; and the idea that 

 change of form as a whole will tend to alter the form of the components of 

 the altered substance is reasonable, and probably true. All seeds, and what- 

 ever is the sensible origin of future development, have an axis of vitality 

 along Avliich elongation proceeds; thus: all seeds, etc., turn the point of 

 this upwards, if they happen to fall into the ground with it in any other 

 position, showing that the various properties of bodies cannot be overlooked 

 without a complete attestation as to their necessity and existence. After 

 remaining in the ground some time, elongation in the direction of this axis 

 takes place, it may be before any influx of external elements has pro- 

 duced a material conjunction, and as the result of this the component 

 atoms must assume an oval form, and consequently alter the shape of their 

 interstices. I say nothing about the change which this must produce in the 

 external covering (skin) of seeds, etc., merely assuming that it acts as a 

 barrier to the extension of the enclosed matter, which is indeed very evi- 

 dent. We have then elongated atoms, which contour does not to any per- 

 ceptible extent exist in their primitive condition, and results principally from 

 the upward attraction of the sun, the solar gravity, the influence of which in 

 the vegetable world is universal. The axis of vitality probably always coex- 

 ists with the sap, and the stems of plants are probably composed of atoms 

 elongated equally to those just considered, because the great elongation into 

 which the seed, by conjunction with external elements, resolves itself, would, 

 if unaided by externals, greatly alter the form of the component atoms ; but 

 this not being the case, the material influx preserves, or nearly so, the form 

 of the atoms existing in the elongated seed, supposing that the matter ab- 

 sorbed is composed of atoms similar (the same, except as to size and iden- 

 tity) to those forming it, which there is not, I think, much reason to doubt, 

 except it can be shown why fluids should be composed of different sized or 

 differently formed atoms to solids. This a priori problem has not been 

 solved ; and with regard to the difficulty arising from the mobility of fluids, 

 I am inclined to refer it to electrical or the like conditions. If no influx 

 were to take place, it is evident, seeing that a large portion of the seed re- 

 mains undisturbed when the stem is put forth, that the already elongated 

 atoms must receive a very extended form. The stems of plants decrease in 

 breadth, probably from the diminishing force of the sap. It is obvious that 

 an innumerable body of atoms touch equally numberless points of the inner 

 surfaces of the coverings of plants (using the terms of quantity in this case 

 restrictivcly), and that one and only one projects at the extremities of stems, 

 where they give way to either flowers or leaves. Where then we have flow- 



