436 



THE UNIVERSE. 



hj^perbole, that they grow visibly. This is the case with 

 the gigantic Lycoperdon (Lymperdon giganteum) , which, 

 springing from a seed so small that it absolutely escapes 

 our sight, reaches the size of a gourd in one night, so 

 that it may be said without any exaggeration, that this 

 plant, of a most degraded order, acquires a bulk which our 

 children require ten years to attain. This fungus being 

 only composed of microscopic cells, an immense number 

 are required to make it up, and besides, they must grow 

 Avith prodigious rapidity. Mr. Lindley calculates that a 



237. Gigantic Lycoiierdon or VwS-hnW—Liiropcrdnn riiganteum (Batsch), of one night's 

 growth, — From nature. 



Lycoperdon like this contains more than 47,000,000,000 

 cells, and that, taking the time of its evolution at twelve 

 hours, it produces about 4,000,000,000 cells every hour, 

 and 96,000,000 every minute. 



