BOTANY. 



CHAPTER I. 



PROTOPLASM AND PLANT-CELLS. 



1. Protoplasm. — The living part of every plant is a soft- 

 ish, almost transparent substance called protoplasm. It 

 may be seen in ordinary plants by making thin slices of 

 the rapidly growing parts, and then magnifying them 

 under a good microscope. Such a 

 specimen is made up almost wholly of 

 protoplasm. (Fig. 1.) 



2. Although protoplasm is so abun- 

 dant, its exact chemical composition is 

 not known. It appears to be a mix- 

 ture of several chemical compounds, 

 and contains carbon, hydrogen, oxy- 

 gen, nitrogen, sulphur, besides others 

 of less importance. Nitrogen is aJ' 

 ways present. 



3. When protoplasm is examined 

 under a high magnifying power it 

 generally appears to be somewhat from the root of crown im- 



^ P^, „ ^ , . perial. showing protoplasm 



grranular. 1 here may oiten be dis- (»), vacuoles (s), and thin 



" '' cell-walls (ft). Magnified 550 



tinguished a clear transparent non- times. 



granular part making up the body of the protoplasm, and 



in this the granules are imbedded. 



