fO or THE CUTICLE OR EPIDERMIS, 



M. Mirbel indeed, though he admits the 

 importance of this part in the several ways 

 above mentioned, contends that it is not a 

 distinct organ hke the cuticle of animals, 

 but merely formed of the cellular parts of the 

 plant dilated and multiplied, and changed 

 by their new situation. This is very true ; 

 but upon the same principle the human 

 cuticle can scarcely be called a distinct organ. 

 Its texture is continually scaling off exter- 

 nally, and it is supplied with new layers from 

 within. Just so does the cuticle of the Birch 

 peel off in scales, separable, 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 Elder. 



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. 



