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Plant  Textures. 
[  Am.  Jour.  Pharm. 
September,  1917. 
Hidden  Charms. — Within  the  crown  of  each  tiny  cup  on  the 
spike  of  the  lily  of  the  valley,3  rests  a  structural  marvel  in  which,  in 
miniature,  stamens  and  pistil  are  arranged  in  perfect  symmetry, 
hidden  from  the  casual  observer.  Resting  in  the  shadows  cast  by 
the  embracing  leaves,  content  are  the  tiny  bells  to  face,  ever,  the 
earth.  Not  one  looks  upward  into  the  glare  of  the  sun.  Typical  of 
modesty  are  they  in  that  their  hidden  charm  needs  be  sought  by  him 
who  aims  more  fully  to  comprehend  the  Wisdom  lesson  given  so 
many  centuries  ago. 
Shall  thought  be  restricted  to  floral  beauty  alone?  Does  not  the 
Master's  injunction,  "  Consider  the  lilies  of  the  field,  how  they 
grow,"  include  more  than  this  ?  Are  we  not  bidden  to  look  beyond 
that  which  meets  the  eye? 
"How  They  Grow!' — But  for  the  humble,  hidden  earth  stem 
(the  rhizome),  there  could  be  neither  leaf  nor  blossom.  "In  all  its 
glory  "  the  plant  must  depend  for  its  bud  and  flower  upon  its  earth- 
covered  support.  Creeping  in  darkness,  content  to  do  its  part  un- 
seen, the  root  draws  from  the  cold  earth  moisture  and  nourishment 
for  the  support  of  the  structure  that,  in  the  breezes  of  heaven,  enjoys 
the  sunlight  and  the  shade.  When  we  consider  "  How  they  grow," 
the  earth  stem  is  all  important. 
Its  Micro  Lace  Work. — Comes  next  to  thought  a  questioning  as 
to  what  lies  beneath  the  skin,  whether  it  be  of  root,  leaf  or  flower. 
And  in  this  questioning  should  we  not  also  include  the  skin  as  a 
textural  part  of  the  whole?  Does  not  the  thinnest  section  of  the 
plant  of  whatever  part  examined  under  the  microscope  disclose  a 
network  so  exquisite  as  to  eclipse  even  the  beauty  of  the  flower? 
So  delicate  is  this  as  indeed,  by  contrast,,  to  make  even  the  flower- 
bell  a  clumsy  piece  of  mechanism.  In  its  tiniest  fragments  each 
portion  of  the  plant  presents  a  wonder- world  to  him  who  views 
this  maze  of  the  infinitely  little.  And  as  our  viewpoint  changes 
does  not  the  scene  shift?  If  the  micro-slice  be  transversely  made 
one  phase  of  this  exquisite  mechanism  is  disclosed;  if  diagonal, 
another ;  if  lengthwise,  still  another ;  each  not  less  entrancing  than 
the  others. 
"A  mighty  maze,  but  not  without  a  plan." 
And  now  comes  to  him  who  views  such  as  this  the  marvel  of  it 
all.    Perfect  harmony  in  contexture  exists  between  like  sections  of 
3  This  I  accept  to  be  the  "  Lily  of  the  Field  "  of  our  text. 
