XIV. THE FRUIT GIFT. 235 



Every perfect husk, vulgarly pericarp, or ' round- 

 fruit,' (as periwig, i round- wig,') consists of a shell, 

 (vulgarly endocarp,) rind, (vulgarly mesocarp,) and skin, 

 (vulgarly epicarp) ; three essential parts altogether. But 

 one or more of these parts may be effaced, or confused 

 with another ; and in the seeds of grasses they all con- 

 centrate themselves into bran. 



13. When a husk consists of two or more parts, each 

 of which has a separate shaft and volute, uniting in the 

 pillar and volute of the flower, each separate piece of the 

 husk is called a ' carpel.' The name was first given by 

 De Candolle, and must be retained. But it continually 

 happens that a simple husk divides into two parts corre- 

 sponding to the two leaves of the embryo, as in the 

 peach, or symmetrically holding alternate seeds, as in 

 the pea. The beautiful drawing of the pea-shell with 

 its seeds, in Rousseau's botany, is the only one I have 

 seen which rightly shows and expresses this arrange- 

 ment. 



14. A Fruit is either the husk, receptacle, petal, or 

 other part of a flower external to the seed, in which chem- 

 ical changes have taken place, fitting it for the most part 

 to become pleasant and healthful food for man, or other 

 living^animals ; bat in some cases making it bitter or 

 poisonous to them, and the enjoyment of it depraved or 

 deadly. But, as far as we know, it is without any defi- 

 nite office to the seed it contains ; and the change takes 



