Structure in the Ashes of Plants. 15 



the ashes of plants is, that combustion does not in this case, 

 as we have hitherto supposed, supply us with brute matter 

 merely, but that it leaves behind a purely vegetable product, 

 a product far from being dissimilar in its nature to the bones 

 of animals, and having its particles undoubtedly arranged by 

 the agency of a living principle. Yet I confess that these are 

 somewhat startling novelties; indeed, so much so, that 1 al- 

 most shrink from bringing before the naturalist a statement, 

 which, to say the least, will be at first received with suspicion. 

 The facts, however, he may easily verify for himself, and I can 

 only believe that an examination similar to my own will con- 

 duct him to a similar conclusion. 



It is almost superfluous to observe that bones contain, in 

 addition to animal matter, salts of lime and soda, together 

 with traces of silica and metallic oxides. The ashes of plants 

 also, as is equally well known, are composed of earthy, saline, 

 and metallic ingredients. We have here, therefore, two pro- 

 ducts, the one animal, and the other vegetable, differing chiefly 

 in the proportions of similar elements. If it be asked how these 

 elements are distributed in plants, whether in accidental accu- 

 mulations or uniformly dispersed throughout their volume, all 

 we know of creating intelligence urges us to say, that certainly 

 the dispersion will be uniform, or at least systematic. We 

 cannot, therefore, be surprised lo learn that such an arrange- 

 ment is actually detected after combustion, though it may be 

 gratifying to know that combustion does not disturb so as 

 to conceal it. 



What I wish then more especially to insist upon with re- 

 spect to the ashes of plants is structure, — the similar conforma- 

 tion of similar parts, whether those parts be stems, leaves, or 

 the appendages of flowers and seeds. The variety is evidently 

 a variety of purpose and plan, compelling us to reject at once 

 every supposition of the operation of causes without design. 

 The inability to comprehend the use of this construction is 

 no argument against the subtlety of the mechanism. The 

 bare existence of structure is of itself proof sufficient of the 

 active presence of a living principle, and therefore of a con- 

 trivance accommodated to some end, and suited to some 

 office. That end and office, in the present case, may be to 

 give consistence and support, or there may be some myste- 

 rious connection even with the healthy existence of the plant. 

 For did we find the deposition of matter, like silica along 

 the angles of the Equisetum hyemale, occurring in small masses, 

 or as lumps, like tabasheer between the joints of the bamboo, 

 we might with justice suppose, that what seems to be so 

 casually introduced might be withheld, or if possible removed, 



