344 BED ANB WHITE BEET GRAFTED. 



each about as thick as a straw. A complete junction was 

 effected, and when, in 1854, the plant of White Beet grafted 

 on red was taken out of the ground, its longitudinal section 

 exhibited the appearance represented in the annexed figure. 

 There was a shght contraction at the Hne of junction, much 

 like that formed by "choking" a rocket-case; above the line 

 of contraction the plant was absolutely white, below it it 

 was absolutely red. Not a trace of blending the two colours 

 could be discovered. By similar experiments on other vegeta- 

 bles and plants, Dr. Maclean had so far assured himself of 

 the perfect independence of scion and stock as to acquire the 

 belief that neither the colouring nor any of the specific characters 

 of the one or the other would or could be altered by their union. 

 The result of the trial wholly confirmed that view, and demon- 

 strated that the White Beet adhered to the Red Beet by mere 

 junction of cellular matter, that of the scion and stock holding 

 together in the first instance, and each afterwards producing its 

 own colouring matter in its own new cells as they formed super- 

 ficially, the red cells adhering to the white cells while in the 

 nascent state, but retaining each the peculiarity belonging to it, 

 without any interchange of contents through the sides of the 

 cells in contact. 



This is entirely consistent with all that has been discovered 

 by the modern physiologists who have applied themselves to a 

 study of the nature of the individual ceUs of which plants 

 consist. They have clearly shown that each cell has its own 

 special inherent power of secretion, as indeed may be seen by 

 any one who examines thin sections of variegated leaves or 

 other parts. It will then be found that some cells are filled 

 with a red colouring matter, some with yellow, some with green. 

 In other words one cell has the power of secreting red matter, 

 another yellow, and so on. The colours do not run together, 

 but are contained each within the cell that produces it. Why 

 this is so no one knows ; all that we are acquainted with is the 

 fact. In the cells of the Red Beet resides a power of forming 

 red matter, and in those of the White Silesian Beet that of 

 forming yellow, and this peculiarity is not affected by the one 

 growing to the other. Red-forming cells produce their hke. 



