SWEET-PEA. 99 



parts of fructification with a precaution not less 

 wonderful than the means she has given it to chmb. 

 In opening a pod of Peas we sometimes find a 

 small withered skin of a Pea or two, mixed with 

 the perfect Peas, but more generally at the end 

 of the pod. These are mere empty shells that 

 have not received a portion of the fecundating 

 properties of the farina from the anthers, which 

 is conveyed from the stigma by means of a 

 sinewy tube on which each Pea is regularly 

 placed ; for should any accident destroy the an- 

 thers or blow away the farina from them, the pods 

 would then contain only empty shells which would 

 wither away ; but we see, with wondering admi- 

 ration, that nature has taken precautions adequate 

 to the wants of the plant, for on dissecting the 

 flower, the young pod with the stigma will be 

 seen surrounded by the anther, the whole being 

 enclosed by a beautiful folding of the lower petals, 

 which is called the keel from its form resemblins: 

 the keel of a boat, and which opens just suffi- 

 ciently to admit a necessary portion of air ; the 

 keel is protected by two other petals, which hang 

 over it like a penthouse, by which name they are 

 frequently called ; the upper petal or standard 

 shades the whole from the scorching rays of the 

 sun, whilst it acts as a vane to turn the flower 

 with its back to the wind, so that the storms can- 



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