ON THE IKTERIOR OF PLANTS. 2^5 



life began to form with a new pith, and the part, where the 

 shoe was, decayed ; but in this state the tree was cut down, 

 or it would have produced a still more instructive history of 

 the force of buds ; which had for three years contested the 

 point continually with this hard substance. 



x\U that farther concerns this subject is more peculiar 

 than general; 1 shall therefore defer it to my second letter. 

 I was anxious indeed to clear my way, that, having laid the 

 foundation, 1 might proceed to the many wonderful parts, 

 which I shall hope to analyze in my next. 

 I am, sir, 



your obliged humble servant, 



AGNES IBBETSON. 



Explanation of the Plates. 



PI. VIII, fig. 4. The bud extremely magnified, the 

 wood passing over and under. 



Fig. 5. Section of the malva, showing the bud on the 

 line of life [k) the two buds : [kk] the albumen in the her* 

 baceous plants, but it is seldom so regular in form. 



When the bud is to be formed, the line of life makes a 

 knot ; this knot is directly covered with a scale, and both 

 within and without with the albumen, which grows ; and I 

 do not think there is any other increase of the bud, till it 

 arrives at its cradle in the bark. 



It may be thought, that there are repetitions of my for- 

 mer letters, but to describe the outward part of plants, and 

 afterwards the inward, it is scarcely possible to avoid repe* 

 titions, anxious as I am to be perfectl}^ understood as I 

 proceed. 



I have given also a specimen of a vegetable cutting of the 

 cactus, (tig. 6.) to show the curious manner in which the 

 buds follow each other, and are discovered on the line of 

 life. // the bud. 



PI. IX, fig. 1. The appearance of the minor obstruc- 

 tion, and the sort of plants that more peculiarly show the 

 ball, exhibited in scrophularia. a the ball, bb the bud, 

 or, when it is wanting, the cradle where it reposes, c the 

 hollow of the pith. 



Fig. 2. Appearance of the buds in a willow. 



Fig:. 3. 



