690 THK FIBRO-VASCULAR SYSTEM OF THE QUINCB, 



the fruit, is clearly shown. In the RanuncnlacecE or Buttercup 

 Family, there is every gradation from the numerous one-seeded 

 achenes of the Buttercup itself, which are hard and unattractive, 

 through the Columbine with its follicles reduced to five, and finally, 

 the Baneberry, wliere the carpels are reduced to one, and the 

 attractive fruit contains only a few seeds. Even in the Rosacece, 

 or Rose Family, to which the ajDple, pear, and quince belong, there 

 is a similar gradation, from the numerous carpels becoming the 

 fruits or achenes of the wild rose itself, through the apple, jjear, 

 and quince, with only five carpels, down to the peach, plum, apri- 

 cot, and cherry, with only one carpel containing one seed. The 

 lusciousness and attractiveness of these fruits are well-known. 



Transverse and Longitudinal Sections of Quince — young and 



mature. 



In the transverse section of a young quince, tlie core is seen to 

 occupy the greater part of it, and each of the five cavities contains 

 a double row of seeds. The very centre of the core is hollow, i.e., 

 where the five carpels meet, and even with the naked eye, the ten 

 primary fibro-vascular bundles are seen as dark green spots, five 

 being opposite, and five intermediate to each seed-cavity (Fig. 5). 



In the mature quince, the core is surrounded by a dense layer of 

 stone-cells, so that the primary vascular bundles are obscured ( Fig. 

 2). In the longitudinal median section of a young quince (Fig. 4), 

 the seeds are seen to be arranged in two rows. There is a small 

 cavity between the two carpels, which tapers towards the apex, 

 wliere the styles are given olf, and the top of the floral axis forms 

 its base. Tlie core is surrounded by a comparatively narrow fleshy 

 portion, which, however, increases considerably towards matui'ity. 

 In the full-grown quince, the "core" is seen to be towards the "eye" 

 end, and occui^ies but a relatively small i^roportion of the whole 

 (Fig. 3). 



Transverse and Longitudinal Sections of Young Apples and 

 Fears for comparison. 



In each case, tlie core forms the conspicuous portion, which be- 

 comes relatively small towards maturity. In tlie transverse section 



