! I 



AND WHAT TMKY AHK MADK I'OU. 



91 





ever clmnp;p(l In form in tho proffross from i)l.int to aninitl or from ono juiimal 

 to anotlifr, all tlie food and all the sulistance of all animals were matk' by 

 plants And tliis is wliat plants are made for, 



282. Notice also that plants furnish us not merely needful sustenance, hut 

 almost every comfort and convenience. Miilicinc for i-estoring, as well as fo(Kl 

 for supportin<; health and stren<,'th, mainly comes fiom plants. 



283. 'I'/icif /iirm'tih all llif chithiiiij of ///'^z .--not oidy nn hat is made from the 

 woolly liairs of certain seeds (rothut), or fiom the woody lihres (jf hark (Unni), 

 and what is spun fiom Mulherry-leaves hy the ^'luhs of certain moths (as •-///.), 

 but also the skin and the fur or wool of animals, owe their ori^'in to plants, 

 just as their flesh does. 



284. T/i''!/ fftrnitt/i iifrnsils, fonh, ,(/,,( hnilifiiir/ fnafrrials in *jreat variety; and 

 even the matt-rials which tlu^ mineral kin<.,'dom yields for man's service (such 

 as iron) aie unavailable without v«'getables, to supply fuel for \\oiking and 

 shapin*; them. 



285. 77/''// siippit/ all fliefnel hi tfic worhl ; and this is one special service of that 

 vegetal)le matter which, in the solid form of wood, does not naturally serve for food. 

 Burnecl in our tire-places, one part of a plant may be used to cook the food fur- 

 nished by another i)art, or to protect us agairist cold ; or bui-ncd underasteam-boiler 

 it may grind our corn, or carry us swiftly from place to place. lOven tlie coal dug 

 from the bowels of the earth is vegetable matter, the remains of forests and 

 herbage which flourished for ages before man existed, and long ago laid up for 

 his pre.sent use. We may proceed one step farthei-, and explain wliere the heat 

 of fuel comes from ; for even a child may understand it. Plants mak(f vegetable 

 matter only in the light, mostly in the direct light of the sun. With every 

 particle of carbonic acid that is decomposed, and vegetable matter that is made, 

 a portion of the sun's heat and light is ab.sorbed and laid up in it. And when- 

 ever this vegetable matter is decomposed, as in buriiing it, this heat and light 

 (how much of each, de})ends upon the mode of burning) are given out. 



286. So all our lighting as well as warming, which we do not receive directly 

 from the sun, we receive from plants, in which sunlight has been stored up for 

 our use. And equally so, whether we burn olive-oil or }>ine-oil of the present 

 day, or candles made from old peat, or coal-gas, or lard, tallow, or wax, — the latter 

 a vegetable matter which h.as been .somewhat changed by animals. And, finally, 



287. The natural icarmth of the bodies of animals comes from the food they taf^ 



