BOTANY 



CHAPTER I 



THE STORY OF THE ROOT 



January 



*' Never quite shall disappear 

 The glory of the circling year." 



THE EXTENT OF PLANT LIFE 



Plant life extends over almost the entire surface of 

 the globe. If, as is highly probaljle, the waters of 

 the Polar seas, under the perpetual ice-cap, have 

 their algae, or sea-weeds, then the onl}^ places really 

 destitute of vegetation are the crests of the highest 

 mountains, the highest regions of glaciers and ever- 

 enduring snows. 



The seas are full of sea-weeds, from the most mi- 

 nute to the largest known plants. Under the snow 

 of the Arctic region are beds of lichens, while upon 



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