PERSPIRATION OF PLANTS. $ 



organs, were not such ; especially as they also 

 appeared upon the old leaves with ripe fruit, in 

 the same state of vigour as upon young ones, at a 

 time when a new crop of female organs was not to 

 be expected. Such a circumstance was in direct 

 contradiction to a universal law of vegetable pro- 

 creation, according to which the male organs, 

 not only (as happens in animals) become flaccid 

 after having performed their office, but even drop 

 off before the fruit arrive at maturity. This last 

 circumstance has never yet attracted the notice 

 of physiologists; though, in my opinion, it affords 

 the only incontestible character by which the plant 

 is to be distinguished from the animal.* 



In pursuit of my experiments, I also separated 

 the cuticle from the leaves in other plants, and, 

 examining it in the same manner, I as regularly 

 found the fame parts which were discovered and 



• The difficulty of establishing characteristic distinctions for the ani« 

 mal and vegetable kingdoms, arises, no doubt, from plants and animals 

 obeying equally the laws of vitality, though differently modified, and 

 therefore both possessing the most essential character in common with 

 each other. Of all discriminating definitions given of vegetable and 

 animal productions, that of Ljnnaus ha3 become the most univer J 

 arid still prevails with most writers on natural history . According to hint 



