86 GLIMPSES IXTO I'l.AXT-IJFE 



because they exist in little masses in the substance 

 of the stem. 



Most )-oung people know what is called K'lni; 

 Charles's Oak in the stem of the brake fern, 

 so plainly seen when it is cut across with a 

 penknife. The dark markings are the ends of the 

 fibro-vascular bundles which happen to resemble 

 an oak tree in form, though s(jme think them more 

 like an eagle with outstretched wings, so the fern 

 is named /Vc/v'.v aqiiiliua, frcjm (xqiiila, an eagle. 



The fcjurth word is pith, the white substance in 

 the centre of the stem, which can readily be seen 

 by di\iding a piece of elder branch, when the 

 middle will be found full of white pith. 



When we have these four parts of the stem 

 clearly in our minds it will be possible to go on 

 ^\•ith our study and learn about the spaces between, 

 which are filled with different kinds of cells. 



The honey-comb formed b}- bees consists of 

 small cells, little hollow spaces in which they store 

 the hone}' or bee-food. Wood}' structure consists 

 largely of cells of various shapes to contain sap 

 and other substances. A beautiful specimen of 

 cell net-work may be obtained b}' placing a thin 



