170 Explanation of the Cuticle of Leaves. 



use to science : no plants in this case should be tried, but trees, 

 shrubs, and evergreens, receiving little in the first and no nourish- 

 ment from the atmosphere in the last case. I cannot but flatter 

 myself that this will open a larger field for understanding plants; 

 and so much is it my desire to know the different vegetables that 

 prefer each peculiar soil, and the reason why they do so, that 

 I cannot but Iio])e the want of ability may be compensated by 

 excessive diligence and attention. 

 I am, sir. 



Your obliged servant, 

 Bellevue, August 6, 1814. AgnES IbBETSON. 



Plate III. 

 Dissections of the Leaves of Trees. 



Elm Leaf dissected. 



Fig. 1, first cuticle; fig. 2, third cuticle (the second being 

 impervious) ; fig. 3, veins of the leaf containing the spiral wire ; 

 fig. 4, the pabulum of the leaf; fig. 5, the under cuticle with 

 the bubbles ; fig. 6, leaf shown in thickness. 



The Leaf of a herlaceous Plant dissected. 



Fig. 7, first cuticle ; fig. S, third cuticle (the second being 

 impervious) ; fig. 9, pabulum ; fig. 10, the veins of the leaf con- 

 taining the spiral wire; fig. 11, thickness of the leaf. 



Dissections of the grassy Leaves of early Spring. 



Fig. 12, first cuticle; fig. 13, third cuticle (the second being 

 impervious) ; fig. 14, pabulum; fig. 15, thickness of the leaf. 



Dissection of the Leaves of Evergreens. 

 Fig. 16, shown in the breadth of the leaf. 



Dissections of the Leaves of the Rock Plants. 



Fig. 1 7, the upper cuticle ; no impervious one, being the 

 only set of plants that are without it. 



Fig. 19, the swellings in the upper cuticle; fig. IS, the holes 

 or apertures which open into the sweliiiigs : they have certainly 

 a valve at a a, and are most curiously formed : this made me 

 suppose that there must l)e an impervious skin ; but, if there is, 

 it is so thin that I could not discover it. 



Fig. IX. one of the hairs, to show how they manage the boxes 

 or reservoirs under tliem, and between the different skins or 

 cuticles : it may be tliought i)uerile to mention such spaces, but 

 they are by no means useless to nature ; since probably it is in 



these 



