94 
METAMORPHOSIS OF OEGANS OF PLANTS. 
herbs decompose, and restore to the earth the elements which they had drawn 
from it,8 bosom. The earth, stripped of its beauty, seems sinking into old age ;— 
Dut, although the processes of nature may have been unseen and unmarked by man, 
innumerable germs have been formed, which wait but the favorable -K^ariuth to 
decorate with new brilliancy this terrestrial scene. So fruitful is nature, that a 
surface a thousand times more extended than that of our globe, would not be suf- 
ficient for the vegetables which the seeds of one single year would produce, if all 
should be developed ; but great quantities are eaten by men and animals, or left 
to perish in unfovorable situations. Some are carried into the clefts of rocks, or 
buried beneath the ruins of vegetables ; here, protected from the cold, they reniAin 
inactive durmg the winter season, and germinate as soon as the early warmth of 
spring is felt. Then the pious Botanist, beholding the vegetable species with which 
the earth begins to be clothed, and seeing successively all the types or representa 
tions of past generations of plants, admires the power of the Author of nature, and 
the immutability of his laws. 
LECTURE XYII. 
THEOEY OF THE METAMORPHOSIS OF THE ORGANS OF PLANTS. 
104. We will take a general view of the growth of plants^ 
with the transformation or metamorjpliosis of the vegetable or- 
gans during the progress of development, from germination to 
decay. A seed may be considered as an organized^ living plami. 
We have seen, that by the application of warmth, moisture, 
and oxygen, its life becomes active ; it begins to develop parts 
that before lay folded up, and concealed from observation. 
Botanists of the present age have been muci occupied in tra- 
cing the germination of the seed, and the development and 
tra/msformation^ or metamorphosis^ of the different organs of the 
plant; it is found that these are but modified forms of the 
various tissues from which they are elaborated. 
105. The development of the organs of plants appears under 
three forms : normal^ abnormal^ and accidental. The normal 
process is exhibited in the progressive and regular development 
of organs, according to estabTished laws, the abnormal pro- 
cess is when there is a failure to produce regular results, either 
from irregular action, or a want of energy in the vital functions 
of the plant. The accidental process is when irregularity is 
produced by external causes, as the puncture of insects, exter 
nal injuries, &c. 
106. In the normal process, there is a regular progression 
commencing with the seminal leaves, and going on through the 
whole exist^ce of the plant, developing various organs by 
successive stages, to the final production of the flowers and 
fruit. In annual plants the progress is rapid from the germi- 
Concluding remarks.— 104. The organs of the plant are modified forms of tissues.— 105. Three tornii 
of development of organs.— 106. Normal process. 
