320 



THE APPLE VULTUMIST. 



Fig. 139. 



the next, the parenchyma, and the innermost, or that in contact with the wood, the 

 cortical layer. The epidermis is a thin, transparent, tough membrane; when 

 rubbed off it is gradually reproduced, and in some trees it cracks and decays, and 

 a fresh epidermis is formed, pushing outward the old ; hence the reason why so 

 many aged trees have a rough surface. The parenchyma is tender, succulent, 

 and of a dark green. The cortical layer, or liber, consists of thin membranes en- 

 circling each other, and these seem to increase with the age of the plant. The 

 liber, or inner bark, is known by its whiteness, great flexibility, toughness, and 

 durability ; the fibres in its structure are ligneous tubes. It is the part of the stem 

 through which the juices descend, and the organ in which the generative sap, from 

 whence all the other parts originate, is received from the leaves. The bark, in its 

 interstices, is formed of cells, which are filled with juices of varying qualities; 

 some, like that of the oak, remarkable for their astringency ; others, like the cin- 

 namon, abounding with an essential oil ; others, as the Jesuits' bark, containing an 

 alkali ; some contain mucilaginous, and many resinous substances. 

 Base, the stem-end of an apple. (See Apple.) 



Basin, the concavity, or depression of the end opposite the stem. The basin 

 may be deep or shallow, broad or narrow. (See Fig. 129.) 



Biennial, existing two years, or requiring two seasons to mature ; or producing 

 fruit once in two seasons. 



Bivalved, containing two 

 valves. 



Blotched, covered with 

 different shades, which 

 commence and disappear 

 abruptly, without any reg- 

 ularity or order, over the 

 surface. 



Bloom, a delicate, pow- 

 dery coating on the surface 

 of fruit. It is of various 

 colors, as per the fruit. 



Blossom. An apple-blos- 

 som having only white pet- 

 als is no more beautiful 

 than a white rose ; but an 

 apple-blossom of many col- 

 ors is a flower of exquisite 

 beauty. By the aid of the 

 accompanying diagrams, any person of only common-school education may soon 

 gain a thorough botanical knowledge of the 

 apple. The chief parts of an apple-blossom 

 consist of the calyx, corolla, pistils, stamens, 

 and peduncle. All these, taken collectively, 

 constitute the flower, or blossom. Five of 

 the central organs are pistils. (See Pistils.) 

 The fine, thread-like organs are stamens. The 

 live sections, or separate leaves of the corolla, 

 are the petals. The green segments of leaves 

 beneath the petals are denominated sepals. 

 By cutting an apple-blossom in two equal 

 parts, one can see, with the naked eye, at the 

 bottom of the corolla, the miniature apple. 

 By examining a perfect apple, we can see the 

 five divisions of the dried-tip calyx at the 

 npex, or crown of the frnit. Every apple-bios- A single apple-blossom. 



Two apple-blo3soms. 



