CHAPTER IX. 



DEATH AND DECOMPOSITION. 



As in the animal creation the period of life varies 

 from a few hours in the ephemeron, to hundreds of 

 years in the tortoise, so among the vegetable tribes, 

 though it is circumscribed to a few months in some of 

 our annuals, yet it extends to centuries in the oak, the 

 chestnut, and the adansonia. But however varied in 

 space, each has its limit of existence ; and death, 

 though its inroad may be delayed, finally effects a 

 conquest over all. 



Now, wliat is the death of a plant ? — and though 

 this queiy admits of the ready answer that it is a 

 want of the power to vegetate, though the requisites 

 for vegetation are present — yet one question more 

 difficult of solution follows upon this reply — what 

 is that power of wliich death is the negation ? — and 

 although neither the chemist nor the physiologist 

 have ever succeeded — probably never will succeed — 

 in penetrating further than to an acquaintance witli 

 the phenomena of that power, yet these we have 

 already seen are intimately connected with the gar- 

 dener s art, and the phenomena attending its absence 

 are not less worthy of his study. 



