SOME REMARKABLE WAYS OF PLANTS 169 



find nothing in the shape of seeds, but more generally 

 growth by each individual dividing into two. 



And very quickly it comes about ! You would hardly 

 beheve, unless you already know it, how rapidly these 

 tiny atoms of life get through what we describe as 

 " growing up." When careful watch had been kept over 

 some of them — of course through a microscope — it was 

 found that in twenty minutes they had so reached 

 maturity as to divide again. 



With human beings a " generation " is supposed to 

 last about thirty years. But with these minute beings a 

 " generation " seems to last less than half-an-hour. And 

 this, at such a rate of increase, means that in the course 

 of about eight hours some sixty millions of them might 

 come into existence, all descended from one small 

 ancestor. 



So no wonder that there are plenty, and more than 

 plenty, of them ! 



Plants suffer from many different kinds of disease. 

 But when we use the word " suffer," w^e do not mean that 

 they actually endure pain. The plant, as a plant, loses 

 health and vigour and beauty. Whether it is in the 

 very faintest degree conscious of its loss is another 

 question. 



We all know of the Potato Disease, and many among us 

 can remember the terrible famine in Ireland, which 

 followed its outbreak. For at that time the poor of 

 Ireland lived mainly on potatoes, and when they failed 

 nothing remained. 



Most of us, too, are famihar with the small round 

 objects called " Oak-apples." But they are not apples. 



