ABBEY, ON ORGANIC STRUCTURE. 275 
vital energy by all the component molecules of the liberated 
portion. 
In the tissue of a fast-growing plant, destined to die as 
soon as it has arrived at maturity, and which is already far 
advanced—as in the case of a cereal whose ear has now burst 
from the sheath—is seen a somewhat different and very 
instructive condition. Within the limits of a very large 
nucleus, so blanched and undefined as to be hardly visible, is 
conspicuous the quondam nucleolus taking upon itself the 
dignity of a nucleus; occasionally presenting zones of colour 
paling from within outwards, as the result of want of 
synchronism in development; and only rarely possessing, by 
way of nucleolus, one, two, or more granules, somewhat larger 
than their compeers, and therefore invested with a tolerably 
distinct areola, yet scarcely deserving a special title. 
From these appearances I conclude that the germinal 
plasma is produced from the germinal molecules, as they are 
successively brought into action to supply the exigencies of the 
tissue. This plasma, though vitiating Dr. Beale’s definition 
of ‘germinal matter” as distinct from “ formed matter,” 
cannot be classed under the latter head, inasmuch as it is 
undoubtedly endowed with vital powers. On this matter, 
however, I must not now expatiate, but proceed to those more 
nearly akin to the professed subject of this paper. 
In most of the cells of the dyed and mounted section that 
we have been considering we see that the nuclei are enveloped 
by the loose folds of a transparent colourless pellicle, manifestly 
detached from close apposition to the cell-wall, and more 
or less flecked with coloured germinal molecules. This would 
seem to consist of the skirting portion of the nuclear matter 
in a condensed condition, answering to the coating (ectosarc) 
of a Rhizopod. Very apparent in the younger cells, it is 
seldom, if ever, seen in those that have exhausted their 
nutritive capacity. In no case does it receive colour. 
External to this, and, normally, in contact with it, are the 
‘secondary layers,” constituting spiral cells and spiral ves- 
sels ; ducts of all kinds, whether spiral, annular, scalariform 
or dotted; liber, laticiferous, woody, and epidermal tissue. 
None of these are stained by carmine; most of them are 
stained by magenta. Their susceptibility to the influence of 
the dye is the more valuable because it varies with their 
age, and thus enables us to decide their relative priority of 
formation. 
If the transverse section of Rumew be taken from a plant 
sufficiently young, we find that all its parts are, as it were, 
