CHAPTER I. 



THE FRUIT. 



Effects of Fertilisation Definition of Fruit True and False Fruits 

 Simple, Collective, and Aggregate Fruits Dry and Fleshy 

 Fruits Dehiscent and Indehiscent Fruits Inferior and 

 Superior Fruits Wall of the Fruit Pericarp, Epicarp, Meso- 

 carp, and Endocarp. 



THE effects of pollination and fertilisation are by no 

 means confined to the ovules and their contents, and it 

 has long been observed that in some flowers (e.g. many 

 orchids) the petals, &c. remain turgid and fresh for many 

 days if the stigma is not pollinated, but wither at once 

 when that act is accomplished. The most important 

 secondary effects of fertilisation are usually those induced 

 in the ovary, the walls of which increase and often become 

 very thick and succulent, and the whole form of which 

 may alter under the effects of the increased supplies of 

 water and food-materials which now flow to the excited 

 centres for, that the centres are thus excited to exert 

 a draught on the supplies seems proved by their behaviour 

 when pollination fails, and the young ovaries shrivel. At 

 the same time pollination need not always be successful, 

 or perhaps even occur, for a fruit to ripen, as cultivated 



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