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THE POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY, 



the ovary which constitutes the edible part of the fruit, and in which 

 the pips are imbedded. At first sight, the fruit of the mulberry 

 which, however, belongs to a different family closely resembles that 

 of the blackberry. In the mulberry, however, it is the sepals which 

 becomes fleshy and sweet. 



The next point is that seeds should be in a spot suitable for their 

 growth. In most cases the seed lies on the ground, into which it then 

 pushes its little rootlet. In plants, however, which live on trees, the 

 case is not so simple, and we meet some curious contrivances. Thus, 

 the mistletoe, as we all know, is parasitic on trees. The fruits are 

 eaten by birds, and the droppings often, therefore, fall on the boughs ; 

 but if the seed were like that of most other j^lants it would soon fall t.o 

 the ground and consequently perish. Almost alone among English 

 plants it is extremely sticky and thus adheres to the bark. 



Fia. 16. Mtzodendron.. (After Hooker.) 



I have already alluded to an allied genus, Arceuthohhim, parasitic 

 on junipers, which throws its seeds to a distance of several feet. These 

 also are very viscid, or, to speak more correctly, are imbedded in a 

 very viscid mucilage, so that if they come in contact with the bark of 

 a neighboring tree they stick to it. 



