20 BUDS OR GEMMULES. 



ment into complete yeast cells, so that by the artificial 

 division of one, thousands may result. And if the soft 

 bioplasmic matter which can be expressed from the 

 yeast cell be placed under favourable conditions, every 

 particle of it may germinate. This matter alone 

 furnishes the germs, it alone grows and appropriates 

 the nutrient material, in short it alone manifests 

 phenomena peculiar to living things. 



The little buds or gemmules above referred to, de- 

 tached from the parent mass, and capable of indepen- 

 dent existence, are, many of them, much less than the 

 T^/ooo"th of an inch in diameter. But each is living 

 and will grow, under favourable circumstances, into a 

 body like the parent cell, giving origin in its turn to 

 countless descendants. These very minute particles 

 divide and subdivide independently, producing still 

 more minute particles, capable of growth and division 

 like themselves, not one of which, however, may be 

 developed into an ordinary yeast cell like those 

 represented in Fig. 6, plate I. This mode of multi- 

 plication may go on for a long period, perhaps for an 

 indefinite time, if certain conditions persist. But if any 

 one of these excessively minute particles falls into a 

 medium containing suitable pabulum, it will appro- 

 priate it, and soon pass on to a higher stage of de- 

 velopment. In this case branches may be formed, as 

 represented in Fig. n, plate II., and more advanced 

 in Fig. 12. See also Plate III., fig. 22. From them 

 may proceed stems which grow upwards into the air, 



