BY D. MCALPINE. 691 



of the apple (Fig. 7), the ten fibro-vaseular bundles are distinctly 

 seen, surrounding the core. They almost adjoin the skin, as the 

 flesh is so little developed at this stage. In the pear (Fig. 9), they 

 are somewhat obscured by the stone-cells; still an inner whorl of 

 five may be seen at the tips of the seed-vessels, and an outer whorl 

 of five between. While the "core'" is more or less central in the 

 apple (Fig.6), it is more towards the apex of the fruit in the pear 

 (Fig. 8). 



Section of Fruit-stalk. 



When a transverse section of the stalk is made just at the base 

 of the fruit, the ten fibro-vascular bundles are distinctly seen, just 

 as in the apple and pear (Fig. 1). They are continued into the 

 fruit, and form a vascular system tliere, which is practically the 

 same as in other pomes. The continuity between the fruit and the 

 parent stem is tlms maintained, and the materials necessary for 

 growth, including water, are supplied, until the fruit drops when 

 fully mature. 



Fibro-vascular System as a whole. 



The softening of the quince, for purposes of dissection, was not 

 an easy matter, as it was necessary that the reagents used should 

 not injuriously affect the structure of the tissue. The pear was 

 readily softened by macerating in water, the apple by using a 

 dilute solution of potassium hydrate, but neither of these methods 

 was suitable for the quince. After steeping in water for some time 

 and simmering for a few hours over a slow fire, it was rendered 

 soft and spongy, but there was still a touglmess about the "flesh," 

 which prevented its separation from the vascular bimdles. 



If we endeavour to find a reason for this toughness, particularly 

 in the outer layers of the flesh, the minute structure requires to be 

 investigated. The numerous groups of stone-cells, even larger than 

 those in the pear, will not account for it. 



If a section is made through the skin of the fruit and the under- 

 lying tissue, the following structures occur (Fig. 14). There is the 

 thickened cuticular layer, with the columnar epidermal cells. Be- 

 neath that, there are several layers of subepidermal cells, oval or 



