86 FRUIT. 



pollen derived from the male date. This operation is daily prac- 

 tised on date trees in the East; and during the expedition of the 

 French army in Egypt, the war having prevented the inhabitants 

 of that country from procuring, as usual, flowers with stamens, 

 they were deprived of their harvest of dates. 



9. The grains of pollen that are deposited on the stigma meet 

 there with moisture, swell, burst, and permit the escape of the 

 granules contained within. These granules penetrate the spongy 

 tissue of the pistil, and descend to the ovules which they are 

 destined to fecundate. If the pollen is moistened before it 

 reaches the stigma, it bursts in the same way ; but in that case 

 the granules it contains are lost, and fecundation does not take 

 place ; for this reason nature ordinarily gives to the corolla a 

 form or position that protects the stamens against the action of 

 moisture. 



10. When the ovules are fecundated, the flower fades, and all 

 the parts situate above the ovary, or that are not adherent to this 

 organ (as is sometimes the case with the calyx), fall or dry up. 

 But the ovules, as well as the parietes of the ovary, rapidly 

 enlarge and constitute the fruit. 



OF FRUIT. 



11. We give the name of fruit to the fecundated and increased 

 ovary, and, by extension, we also understand by this term, the 

 floral envelopes which may remain adherent to this organ. 



12. The fruit is essentially composed 

 of two parts ; namely, the ovules or 

 seeds (fig* 116, e\ and the carpels or 

 ovaries which surround them, and for 

 this reason they are called by some 

 botanists the pericarp (Jig. 116, c, d) 

 (from the Greek, peri, around, and 

 karpos, fruit). These two parts are 

 never wanting, but the pericarp is 

 sometimes so thin and so closely united 

 to the seeds, that without a very care- 

 a e d ful examination, we would not believe 

 Fig. 116. APPLE. that it existed at all. 



Explanation of Fig. 116. Fleshy fruit (an apple) ; </, the peduncle; ft, 

 the remains of the limb of the calyx ; c, the sarcocarp, surrounded by the 

 calyx ; d, the lodges or cells lined by the endocarp ; e, the seeds. 



9. What takes place after the pollen has been deposited on the stigma ? 



1 0. What becomes of the flowers after the fertilization of the ovules ? 



11. What is meant by fruit ? 



12. Of what parts is the fruit composed? 



