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XXXVII. Qn the Physiclogy of Fegefalles, By Mrs. Agnes 

 Ibbetson*. 



To Mr. Tillnch. 



Sir, — J. HE strange inconsistencies ihaX, subsist in the few fact? 

 that have been acknowledged to be true in the physiology of 

 plants, must show that they are in many respects false, since 

 they contradict each other. Thus, plants are supposed to per- 

 spire, and also to give out oxygen. It is well known that the 

 water they take in is decomposed, and reduced into its compo- 

 nent parts for the purpose. How then can they give it out in 

 oxygen and water also, when that water has been cliatiged to air? 

 But they also admit that the cuticle takes in nutriment, and all 

 from the same skin. This is really giving the cuticle more offices 

 than Nature can perform, especially as they are all contradic- 

 tory. Tiien it is supposed that the blood circulates, — though 

 the juice is evidently expended, as it rises, in forming the parts i; 

 is ordained to complete. If it docs circulate, it must do so in 

 absolute opposition to the whole order of Nature ; since even 

 no animal respires by a particular organ, except those that have 

 a real circulation: for even in animals or insects there is rro 

 circulation wiierc there is not a single heart, to which the blood 

 constantly returns, as the vessels that contain the liquid are so 

 disposed, that it cannot arrive at the other parts till it has 

 passed through the lungs. This of course cannot take place in 

 vegetables, which have no heart, nor in animals that have several 

 hearts. — See the adiniral)!e Cuvier. — Again, in the herbaceous 

 plants they may be generally opened close to the root, and the 

 flowers discovered aggregating there:- — How then can the flower 

 but be formed at the top of the plant, and corne out in a few- 

 days also, without any preceding bud ? And in trees and shrubs, 

 if the fiower-buds are all cut off when first appearing, a quantity 

 will very soon succeed ; — cut these away also, and anotlier set 

 will reappear: this may be done two or three time:?. Is it 

 possible that all these flowers can proceed, or be formed, in the 

 few buds that were found at the exterior in tJiat place P No : thev 

 are merely the veliicle through which the flowers in trees are 

 introduced to the exterior; and the first flowers are tiiere de- 

 tained in the bud till the weather is sufficiently favourable to per- 

 mit them to pass outwardly. This is only learnt by dissecting 

 progressively, and pursuing the various facts throughout all their 

 appearances. 



There is certainly a great difference between the tree and 



" KfiRATUM. — In Mrs. Il.lK.tson's paper in onr la^i number, in tlic tillf. 

 Car tli« word " iulittUule" read " etucidule." 



herbaceous 



