CONTENTS 



CHAPTER I 



THE BEGINNINGS OF PLANT LIFE 



Microscopic plants on an old wooden fence — Only a small pro- 

 portion of the world's plants assume conspicuous forms — 

 Sea-water coloured with minute plants — Difficult to find any 

 natural condition of land or water free from plant life — 

 Plants which swim freely about in water — Diflficulties in 

 distinguishing between the lower plants and animalcules — 

 Desmids — Structure of ditto — Reproduction of ditto — 

 Diatoms — Where found — Structure of ditto — The decora- 

 tive markings and sculpturings of ditto — " Rotten-stone " or 

 "Tripoli " — Diatom deposits eventually form rocks — Varieties 

 of forms assumed — Movements of diatoms — Revealing power 

 of microscope — Man's skill with the minute — Thread-like 

 plants — Plants which show the first indications of a stem, and 

 differentiation in its cell-structure — Gradual evolution from 

 lower to higher life-forms Pp. 1-31 



CHAPTER II 



GLIMPSES INTO PLANT STRUCTURE 



Green film encrusting old fence consists of many hundreds of 

 plants — Structure of these unicellular plant-atoms — Repro- 

 duction of ditto — Red snow — Vegetable cells are the bricks 

 which build up the plant edifice — Hairs on plants — The 



