220 PROSERPINA. 



adapted, primarily, to its guard and dissemination ; but 

 secondarily, to quite other and far more important func- 

 tions. 



2. For on this distinction follows another practical one 

 of great importance. A seed may serve, and many do 

 mightily serve, for the food of man, when boiled, 

 crushed, or otherwise industriously prepared by man 

 himself, for his mere sustenance. But the husk of the 

 seed is prepared in many cases for the delight of his 

 eyes, and the pleasure of his palate, by Nature herself, 

 and is then called a ' fruit. ' 



3. The varieties of structure both in seed and husk, 

 and yet more, the manner in which the one is contained, 

 and distributed by, the other, are infinite ; and in some 

 cases the husk is apparently wanting, or takes some un- 

 recognizable form. But in far the plurality of instances 

 the two parts of the plant's treasury are easily dis- 

 tinguishable, and must be separately studied, whatever 

 their apparent closeness of relation, or, (as in all natural 

 things,) the equivocation sometimes taking place be- 

 tween the one and the other. To me, the especially 

 curious point in this matter is that, while I find the most 

 elaborate accounts given by botanists of the stages of 

 growth in each of these parts of the treasury, they never 

 say of what use the guardian is to the guarded part, irre- 

 spective of its service to man. The mechanical action 

 of the husk in containing and scattering the seeds, they 

 indeed often notice and insist on ; but they do not tell 



