4 KIDD’S OWN JOURNAL 
in a confused aggregation of dots or spots. 
Another kind of marking is more worthy of 
notice. It occurs exclusively on the spindle- 
shaped tissue; or rather, the woody-fibre. 
A row of round dots run perpendicularly 
down the tube, each surrounded by a dark 
ring. Occasionally, the row is double, as in 
the case of a tribe of pines inhabiting 
southern Chili and New Zealand. Indeed, 
this punctuated woody tissue occurs only in 
the pine tribe. 
All the varieties of tissue to which we 
have heretofore alluded, possess regular 
forms; but now we come to one of another 
class. This form is called the milk-vessels, 
from their containing a thick fluid, often of 
a milky whiteness. Plants which bleed 
freely upon being cut,—as the dandelion, 
poppy, lettuce, celandine, and India-rubber 
tree, are rich in this form of tissue ; and in 
the thinner portions of many of them, it may 
be detected, resembling irregularly-branched 
veins, through which a granular fluid is seen 
coursing. ‘These branched, or milk-vessels, 
are the least frequently met with of all 
tissues. 
Out of these cells and vessels, then, all 
plants, and parts of plants, are composed ; 
and to these may they be reduced by means 
of the microscope. But every part of a 
plant is not built alike; the materials are 
similar, but in some the workmanship is 
finer than in others. The flower which seems 
to be the master-piece of nature’s excellence, 
has a most delicate structure. It is com- 
posed almost exclusively of cells, which, in 
the case of tulips and lilies, are somewhat 
elongated; but, in the majority of other 
plants, approximate to the angular-spherical. 
These cells are perfectly transparent, but 
contain in their interiors rich colors of a 
wonderful diversity of tint; giving to the 
whole petal the strip, or dot, or the scarcely 
perceptible blush which suffuses its fair 
cheek. Few florists would credit the fact, 
that to produce the flame on a tulip petal, 
thousands of cavities have to be filled with 
purples, reds, crimsons, pinks, oranges, yel- | 
lows, and saffron, of every variety of shade, 
from the deepest to the lightest: The 
flowers of some plants contain, besides cells, 
a number of milk-vessels; a few also ex- 
hibit an intermixture of the stronger vessels. 
The dandelion is an example of the former, 
and Banksia of the latter. 
The leaf is composed of cells, through 
which ramify a multitude of vascular bun- 
dles. These bundles are distinctly obsery- 
able externally ; and are variously known as 
the nerves, veins, and ribs. The latter is 
certainly the least objectionable title of the 
three, as the purpose of these bundles is to 
give strength to the leaf’s expanse; while 
the fact of the plant being destitute of sen- 
sation, and these bundles then performing 
no prominent part in the circulation, denies 
them any claim to be called nerves, or veins. 
The cells in the leaf contain a waxy sub- 
stance, of a green color; which, shining 
through the transparent covering, gives the 
verdant hue to the leaf. The flower and leaf, 
as indeed almost all parts of the plant, are 
covered by a thin, transparent skin, which 
consists generally of a layer of flattened 
cells. ‘This comes easily off with the knife, 
and must be familiar to all your readers. 
On the lower surface of leaf, situated in this 
thin skin or epidermis, are to be noticed 
some of the most beautiful objects which 
the microscope has yet revealed to us. These 
are the stomata. Of their functions, I shall 
have occasion to speak in a future paper. 
These mouths, or stomata, vary in size and 
form almost as much as cells do; they con- 
sist of a rounded oblong, or angled opening, 
bounded by from two to a dozen cells. In- 
ternally, they communicate with cavities be- 
tween the cells, and serve as doors for the 
admission and ejection of gaseous substances. 
So many as one hundred and sixty thousand 
of these openings have been counted on one 
square inch of lilac-leaf. They generally 
occur on the under surface exclusively ; 
though, in a few plants, they appear equally 
on both sides of the leaf. 
Particulars regarding the structure of the 
root and stem, will be found in the next 
paper. 
“ MAKE HAY WHILE THE SUN SHINES.” 
TuHE sun is bright, the air is clear, 
The darting swallows soar and sing ; 
And from the stately elms I hear 
The blue-bird prophesying spring. 
So blue yon winding river flows, 
It seems an outlet from the sky ; 
Where, waiting till the west wind blows, 
The freighted clouds at anchor lie. 
All things are new; the buds, the leaves, 
That gild the elm trees-nodding crest, 
And e’en the nests beneath the caves ; 
There are no birds in last year’s nest! 
All things rejoice in youth and love, 
The fullness of their first delight ; 
And learn from the soft Heavens above 
The melting tenderness of night. 
Maiden! who read’st this simple rhyme, 
Enjoy thy youth, it will not stay ; 
Enjoy the fragrance of thy prime, 
For oh! it is not always May. 
Enjoy the spring of love and youth, 
To some good angel leave the rest ; 
For time will teach thee soon the truth, 
There are no birds in last year’s nest. 
HW. dus 


