28 
Pass it around. Note its lovely color, its delicate 
markings, its satin-like skin. For myself, I feel sure 
that I never have seen a jewel case one 
halt so beautiful. 
Then cut it open and see how carefully 
the soft yet firm apple flesh is packed 
about the little seeds, keeping them safe 
from harm (Fig. 12). 
But perhaps you think that anything so 
good to eat is not of much use as a protection. It 
takes you boys and girls about half a minute to swallow 
such a jewel case as this. 
But here comes the interesting part of the story. 
When you learn how well able this apple is to defend 
from harm its precious seeds, I think you will look upon 
it with new respect, and will own that it is not only a 
beautiful jewel case, but a safe one. 
All seeds need care and wrapping-up till they are 
ripe; for if they fall to the ground before they are well 
grown, they will not be able to start new plants. 
You know that you can tell whether an apple is ripe 
by looking at its seeds, for the fruit and its seeds ripen 
together. When the apple seeds are dark brown, then 
the apple is ready to be eaten. 
But if, in order to find out whether an apple was ripe, 
you were obliged always to examine its seeds, you might 
destroy many apples and waste many young seeds be- 
fore you found what you wished; so, in order to protect 
its young, the apple must tell you when it is ready to 
be eaten in some other way than by its seeds. 
How does it do this? Why, it puts off its green coat, 
