CHAPTER XX 



THE TRANSFERENCE OF ENERGY FROM LOWER TO 

 HIGHER ORGANIZATION REPRODUCTION IN THE 

 ALG^E AGAMIC AND SEXUAL. 



ANOTHER series of the phenomena involving the 

 growth and development of the plant, and above all 

 its reproduction by flowers and fruit, wherein the 

 light of day is unnecessary if not injurious, is now to 

 be considered. In discussing the phenomena of com- 

 bustion it was shown that when many substances, 

 elementary or molecular, containing carbon or hydro- 

 gen, united with oxygen, a certain elevation of tem- 

 perature or external heat was required to induce the 

 oxygen of the air to unite with the substance 

 in question, but that when the union of oxygen 

 therewith, or combustion, had begun, the chemical 

 energy evolved was not only sufficient to maintain 

 the temperature necessary for combustion, but a vast 

 amount of surplus energy was developed, and passed 

 away into the air or ether as heat of high intensity. 

 This energy could be applied to many purposes, or, 



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