34 THE AMERICAN BOTAI^IST 



material from the humus in the soil. At the beginning of the 

 second spring, leaves and roots are produced and the young 

 plant proceeds toi grow up. 



Quince Fruits. — It is seldom that the descriptions of the 

 technical botanist make a vivid impression on the mind. One 

 would not recognize his best friend if described in the same 

 way. When one has a plant in hand, it is very convenient to 

 compare it. point by point, with the technical description, but 

 for ordinary purposes this is not sufficient. Who that has read 

 the description of the Japan quince, realizes that the fruits are 

 five-angled like the well-known "delicious" apple, or that the 

 core is much more roomy than that of the largest apples and 

 fairly packed with seeds? It is a matter of common knowledge 

 that the apple-like fruits consist partly of the ripened ovary 

 and partly of the floral receptacle, now grown thick and juicy. 

 In most pomes, as these fruits are called, one may distinguish 

 in a general way between the receptacle and ovary, but in the 

 Japan quince there is no doubt about it. When cooked, as in 

 the process of making jelly, the receptacle comes apart along 

 the five angles and spreads out like some new kind of flower in 

 which the five divisions form the corolla with the ovary in the 

 center. In size and shape thev suggest the larger forms of 

 earth-stars (Geasfer). The core or ovary when ripe is quite 

 firm and woody and very clearly indicates its relation to seed 

 capsules in general. 



Sweeter than Sugar. — Under the title of this para- 

 graph there was published in this magazine several years ago, 

 a note on a South American plant whose leaves placed in the 

 mouth gave the impression that they were much sweeter than 

 sugar. The plant was formerly called Bnpcitonitiii rebaiidi- 

 Linum but it is now sometimes placed in the closely allied genus 

 Stevia. The principle that causes the sweet taste has been 



