furnishes a familiar example of fleshy or succulent 
plants withstanding the effects of drought. 
This economy, wisely bestowed on such as are 
natives of hot countries, is effected by a peculiar 
formation of their skin, or cuticular covering; which, 
as Sir J. E. Smith expresses it, constitutes “ a fine, 
but essential barrier between life and destruction.” 
The cuticle of leaves is, in general, so formed as to 
admit of absorption, and very ready exhalation ; 
the upper surface of the leaf performing the for- 
mer, and the lower surface, the latter. How fre- 
cpiently do we see the vegetable embellishments 
of the balcony faint under the heat of summer, 
when left to the care of the hand that neglects them; 
and the mown grass, — the verdure and freshness 
of the lawn, how quickly it is withered and dried ! 
But with the tribe of succulent plants, this cannot 
so easily occur; for independently of their greater 
abundance of fluid, their cuticle does not admit its 
ready evaporation. It is protected as in a bottle. 
But although these juices are prevented by so thin 
a membrane, from escaping, still that same mem- 
brane easily admits the admission of moisture; 
miser-like, it is ready to accumulate but not to dis- 
tribute. A gathered leaf will remain long before 
it becomes flaccid and withered; but when it is in 
that state, if put into water, it quickly regains its 
wonted plumpness; which yields a clear proof of the 
peculiar properties of its covering; or, of the in- 
comprehensible organization of this curious tribe. 
Man’s wisdom is, indeed, but folly ! 
The Sedum aizoon may be divided at the root. 
Ere long we hope to resume the subject. 
Hort. Kcw. 2, ▼. 3, 112. 
