The Organism and its Chemistry 109 



comprehensive discussion of the problems of how organisms, 

 all of them., from the simplest unicellulars to the most com- 

 plex multicellulars, accomplish the chemical transformations 

 which they do accom])lish, would require a broader knowl- 

 edge of chemistry, both physico- and bio-chemistry than I 

 suppose any jU'ofessional chemist would pretend to have. 

 It would be, then, wholly presumptuous for one who like 

 myself is exceedingly meagerly possessed of first-hand chem- 

 ical knowledge even to touch it. Nor do I intend to do this 

 beyond the very simple extent of trying to present in schem- 

 atized fashion the various ways in which organisms operate 

 chemically, with the special end in view of presenting strik- 

 ingly to both naturalists and chemists what is in store 

 for them from the standpoint of research undertakings if 

 the ideas set forth in this chapter are to be realized. 



Provisional Enumeration of Chemicot-naturaUst Inquiries 



A rough-and-ready enumeration and classification of the 

 chemico-transformatory methods employed by organisms 

 may be given as follows : 



1. The methods by which green plants use the radiant 

 energy of the sun in constructing their own substance, and 

 doing it in such fashion as to store away the great quanti- 

 ties of this energy that is characteristic of them. 



2. The methods by wliicli plants utilize water and the in- 

 organic elements of the soil to their needs. 



S. The methods by which plants store up organic sub- 

 stances for future needs in seeds, bulbs, roots, etc., and make 

 use of these supplies when the proper time comes. 



4. The methods by which the organic foods of animals are 

 reduced to a state in which they can be taken into the cir- 

 culation. 



5. The methods by which from the foods thus reduced the 

 substances of and in the tissues characteristic of particular 



