94 EPIDERMIS. [LECT. in. 



at least to those which retain their vitality in the 

 vegetating state of the plant : or it is that part 

 which is interposed between the living organs of 

 the individual, and all extraneous substances. In 

 this respect it resembles the cuticle of animals ; 

 but Botanists have been too fond of tracing this 

 analogy, which has, not unfrequently, biassed 

 their observations, and led to erroneous conclu- 

 sions. It extends over the surface of every part 

 of the plant; from that of the delicate petal of 

 the flower, to that of the leaves, the branches, 

 the stem, and the root; but, except in young 

 stems and roots, it is not the exterior part of those 

 organs of the plant ; the coarse rugged surface 

 of older roots and stems being exterior to the 

 real epidermis. It is common to every kind of 

 plant, nor can we conceive that any one can 

 exist without it. Botanists, as I have already 

 stated, are very fond of drawing an analogy be- 

 tween the epidermis of plants, and the animal 

 cuticle ; and the resemblance, in many respects, 

 is conceived to be closer than it really is ; but 

 there is, nevertheless, in some circumstances a 

 very striking analogy. The vegetable epidermis 

 may be separated from the parts which it covers, 

 by raising it cautiously with a knife ; but this 

 is more easily effected by maceration and boil- 

 ing. It is more readily separated from the cellu- 

 lar substance it covers in the leaf, than in any 



