SEED DISTRllirTlOX 



:m 



Figure 329. — Fruits with Hooks. 

 Distributed by animals. 



pumpkins, and squashes 

 are a special kind of 

 berry called pepo. Such 

 fruits have a hard rind. 

 The use of fruits to 

 plants is simply to pro- 

 tect the seeds while they 

 are maturing, and to 

 secure their distribution 

 later. But the fruits of 

 the cereal grains and of 



beans furnish the highest form of vegetable food for man 

 and domestic animals. The fleshy fruits, on the other 

 hand, furnish many of man's luxuries in the way of food. 



One of the most interesting studies about plants is how 

 their fruits may be improved by supplying the best possi- 

 ble conditions for their growth; how their flavor may be 

 improved, the skins made thicker or thinner, t lie seeds 



grown larger or smaller, 

 or such other chang 

 made as to cause the 

 fruits to be more de- 

 sirable to man. Many 

 of these changes may be 

 brought about through 

 cross-fertilization. 



227. Seed Distribution. 

 — Seeds must be scat- 

 tered or distributed to 

 " spread " the plant, and 



the fruit helps to do 



this. It' all the seeds 

 merely fell to the ground 



Figure 330.— Burdock in Blossom. and germinated there, 



