Study of Almonds and Similar Fruits. 101 



Bring for the next exercise almonds and other stone 

 fruits (apricots, peaches, nectarines, etc.). Fruit partly 

 grown to nearly ripe will best enable you to learn what 

 you do not already know. Pits of the ripe fruits and husked 

 almonds are desirable.* 



EXERCISE 52. 



Study of Almonds and Similar Fruits. You could 

 imitate an almond fruit very well by cutting a piece of 

 thick cloth so that folded around the nut and sewed along 

 the inturned edges it would fit it as the husk does. It is not 

 unlike a well-filled or puffed-up turn-over pie. Indeed, it 

 is not difficult to see evidence of the fact that almonds and 

 all stone fruits are each made of a single leaf folded 

 upward along the midrib with the inturned edges united so 

 as to enclose a space which is filled by one, or rarely, two 

 seeds. Evidently the inner surface of the shell or pit must 

 be the upper surface of the carpellary leaf; and the skin of 

 the fruit must be the skin of the under side of the leaf. 



Note the difference between the mid-rib edge (dorsal} 

 and the ventral edge formed by the edges of the carpellary 

 leaf. Compare with the peach, apricot, and other fruits 

 which you have. Which of these is most like the 

 almond? Are the sides quite equal? Where does the 



*If the class is working in September only peaches aud possibly almondi 

 can be easily obtained green; but the pits of other fruits are then abundant. In 

 April, May, and June there is no want of material. 



The development of these and other fruits from the condition in the flower 

 can be profitably followed, as indicated in Exercises 21 (note) and 29. 



Dried fruits soaked twenty-four hours regain their original shape. 



