34 OF THE CUTICLE Oil EPIDERMIS, 



situation. This is very true ; but upon the same prin- 

 ciple the hum;in cuticle can scarcely be called a distinct 

 organ. Its texture is continually scaling off externally, 

 and it is supplied with new layers from within. Just so 

 does the cuticle of the Bii ch peel off in scales, separa^. 

 ble, almost without end, into smaller ones. 



Examples of different kinds of cuticle may be seen 

 in the following plants. 



On the Currant tree it is smooth, and scales off in 

 large entire flakes, both from the young branches and 

 old stem. The same may be observed in the Eider. 



The fruit of the Peach and the leaf of the Mullein 

 have a cuticle covered with dense and rather harsh wool, 

 such as is found on many Mexican plants, and on more 

 Cretan ones. The latter we know grow in open places 

 under a burning sun. 



The leaf of the White Willow is clothed with a fine 

 silky or satiny cuticle. 



The cuticle of the Betony, and of many other plants, 

 is extended into rigid hairs or bristles, which in the 

 Nettle, are perforated and contain a venomous fluid. 



On the fruit of the Plum, and on many leaves, we 

 find a blueish dry powder covering the cuticle, which 

 is a resinous exudation, and it is difiicult to wet the 

 surface of these plants. Rain trickles over them in 

 large drops. 



In the Cork tree, the common Maple, and even the 

 Dutch Elm, the cuticle is covered with a fungous sub- 

 stance most extraoi dinar} in its nature, though familiar 

 to us as cork. 



