56 THE INTERNAL STRUCTURE OF PLANTS. 



on one side than on the other, the nucleus hardly ever 

 appears in the middle, (PI. n, Fig. 3.) This structure is 

 not in all cases so readily perceptible as in the egg- 

 shaped granules of the potato, or of the genuine West 

 India arrow-root, (PL n, Fig. 5,) (for this is nothing 

 but a very pure starch,) or as in the flat, disc-shaped 

 granules of the East India arrow-root, (PI. n, Fig. 6.) 

 In other plants it exhibits another peculiarity, two, three, 

 four or more starch-granules being, as it were, grown 

 together. This is seen very beautifully in the corms 

 of the meadow-saffron, fColchicum autumnalej and 

 similar forms occur much more often than the true form, 

 in the adulterated West India arrow-root of the shops, 

 (PL n, Fig. 6.) 



I have thus delineated, in a hasty, superficial sketch, 

 the interior of the plant. How simple are the structure 

 and relations, and yet how infinite the results, which 

 Nature obtains by these simple means ! The few 

 allusions which I have allowed myself to make, to the 

 influence of plants on the well-being of mankind, nay even 

 on their very existence, must suffice. A complete exposi- 

 tion of this subject would lead us too far. Worthily indeed, 

 are the richness and beauty of the vegetable world, the 

 ever inexhaustible theme of all poets, of all times and 

 nations, but here I draw back, since the dry earnestness 

 of science reaches not into those bright regions. 



