22 SAGACITY AND MORALITY OF PLANTS. 



and look at it through the" microscope, we shall see 

 cellular and vascular structure — in other words, both 

 cells and vessels packed together. When the young 

 embryo-plant quickens into activity by the moisture 

 and heat of the soil, its cell -growth is stimulated. 

 Each cell produces another cell, by the simple 

 method of self-division. Two cells are thus formed, 

 which immediately produce two more, and thus in 

 increasing multiple proportion they accumulate, until 

 in a short space of time the original cell is perhaps 

 the parent of hundreds of millions. Increase of 

 bulk must of necessity take place when the cells are 

 multiplied so enormously. 



What delicate things these cells are, and what 

 numerous shapes they assume ! The most natural 

 form is an oval, but they increase so fast and press 

 so much against each other during growth that they 

 are often formed with many sides. Then, again, 

 how varied are the contents of these cells ! They 

 may be regarded as so many organic chemical 

 laboratories, in which synthesis is carried on even 

 more vigorously than analysis. Some are starch 

 manufacturers like Colman, as in the Potato and 

 other tubers and bulbs ; some are perfume distillers 

 like Rimmel, as the cells in the leaves of the Sweet- 

 briar, Lavender, and Mints. Every cluster of cells 

 and vessels has a work to do — sometimes special 

 kinds of work, but usually generalised kinds. In 

 the leaves of nearly all plants the cells are filled 



