14 EASY LESSONS IN VEGETABLE BIOLOGY. 



and vegetables originate, and by such particles are all 

 organic structures built up. Bone, muscle, nerve, and 

 skin, in animals, and fiber, wood, and vessels, in vege- 

 tables, are all constructed from such elements. It is 

 the province of biology to find out how this is done. 



4. The particles of bioplasm, or living matter, al- 

 ways look alike, no matter where they belong. There 

 is no difference under the microscope between the bi- 

 oplasm of a blade of grass or a whale, of an oak, a 

 rose, a dog, or a man. The bioplasm of skin cannot 

 be distinguished from that of flesh, or of the blood, 

 yet there is a wonderful difference in the power and 

 products of these different kinds, although the differ- 

 ence is not visible even with a microscope. 



Chemical examination also shows that all living 

 matter is composed of the same elementary materials. 

 Oxygen, hydrogen, carbon, and nitrogen enter into 

 the construction of every piece of bioplasm. Some- 

 times lime, or iron, or sulphur are also found, but 

 these are accidental, and not essential or necessary. 



5. The jelly-like living matter which has been de- 

 scribed, like any other jelly, is permeated or satu- 

 rated with fluid, which may be considered apart from 

 the rest of the structure. All organic substances con- 

 tain considerable water. A human body weighing a 

 hundred and fifty pounds can be dried in an oven 

 until it weighs only seven and a half pounds. The 

 water in a piece of bioplasm may also contain other 



