350 THiRSK NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY. [February, 



The above observations sbow a portion only of the interesting 

 objects to be met with in the parts of plants^ — animal life exist- 

 ing in and supported by the vegetable. 



The j'mce^ of plants will also afford subjects for examination, 

 such as crystals and other inorganic deposits. Carbonate of 

 lime is frequently met with in these deposits^ between the cells 

 of the parenchyma of the leaves or their ribs^ in the ducts of the 

 leaf-stalk and its base. Oxalate of lime is also found in plants, 

 and is seen in the stems of Cactus, in transparent crystals. Silex 

 also incrusts many vegetable substances, and its crystals are 

 found on the leaf of the Deutzia, — beautiful objects for the mi- 

 croscope. 



Other objects of great interest will be discovered on plants, 

 namely the parasitical genera of Fungi, and one of these is Bo- 

 trytis, commonly called 'mildew.^ The plants consist of little 

 cells, adhering end to end, which lie on the surface of the plant 

 that bears them. From the spores contained in the seed-cases, at 

 the extremity of the cells, the plants are propagated, and their 

 size is so small as to escape vision unaided by glasses ; and what 

 seems to the naked eye a thin, brownish-white patch upon a leaf, 

 is in reality a dense forest of such plants. The power of dis- 

 semination in these minute plants must be very great, for they 

 attack the fibres of vegetable fabric, linen and cotton, when 

 placed in damp places, and the decayed stems of most plants, de- 

 caying apples, and other fruits. They are always superficial, and 

 never intestinal. • 



The facts stated are, I think, sufficient to induce us to con- 

 sider more particularly the relation between animal hfe, in its 

 lower forms, and the vegetable life ; and to discover (if possible) 

 whether the existence of these minute creatures is essential to 

 the vegetable economy, and also to observe how wonderfully all 

 vegetables, as they decay, support other forms of vegetable and 

 animal life. 



THIESK NATUEAL HISTOET SOCIETY. 



Botanical Exchange Club. 



The monthly meeting of the Thirsk Natural History Society 

 was held on the evening of Friday, the 8th of January. Mr. 



