AUTUMNAL FOLIAGE 



escape of vapor and the absorption of carbonic- 

 acid gas. 



This entire arrangement is for the express 

 purpose of making chlorophyll, and one wonders 

 why all nature is so intent upon making chlo- 

 rophyll. All summer long the world is covered 

 with plants all making chlorophyll as hard as 

 ever they can. Why? When we understand 

 the reason all is clear, for if the plant world 

 stopped making chlorophyll, the animal world 

 would die. For chlorophyll is the great trans- 

 forming agent of the world. It possesses the 

 unique power of laying hold of the mineral 

 and earthy elements of inorganic nature and 

 transforming these into animal food. It has 

 the power of breaking up carbon dioxide, what is 

 popularly known as carbonic-acid gas, the prod- 

 uct of animal breathing as well as of the com- 

 bustion of carbonaceous matter ; and under the 

 influence of sunshine, and in the presence of 

 water, of making starch, grape-sugar, as well as 

 other carbohydrates. 



A chlorophyll body is a little disk of dense 



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