244 PROSERPINA. 



between the seed, as one thing, and the husk as 

 another: the seed, essential to the continuance of 

 the plant's race ; and the husk, adapted, primarily, 

 to its guard and dissemination ; but secondarily, to 

 quite other and far more important functions. 



2. For on this distinction follows another prac- 

 tical 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 unrecognizable form. But 

 in far the plurality of instances the two parts of 

 the plant's treasury are easily distinguishable, and 

 must be separately studied, whatever their apparent 

 closeness of relation, or, (as in all natural things,) 

 the equivocation sometimes taking place between 

 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 



