SECT. III. INDUCTION OF PARTICULAR PROOFS. 30Q 



no seed is perfected without the previous agency of 

 the pollen, and the doctrine of the sexes of plants is 

 consequently founded in fact. 



SECTION III. 



Induction of Particular Proofs. 



THE evidence on which the above conclusion de- 

 pends is substantially comprised in the following 

 brief induction of particulars first, as resulting 

 from observation ; and secondly, as resulting from 1 

 experiment. 



SUBSECTION I. 



Observation 1 . In all plants hitherto discovered From the 

 it has been observed that the fruit is uniformly 

 preceded by the blossom ; and that without blossom 

 there is no fruit. This is a remark that can scarcely 

 fail to be made even by the most inattentive observer, 

 at least with regard to such plants as come within 

 the sphere of his notice ; as every school-boy knows 

 that unless the Cherry-tree blossoms in the spring, 

 he will gather no fruit from it in the summer. This 

 proves that the organs necessary to the production 

 of the fruit exist in the flower ; and is one step at 

 least towards the general conclusion. But to this 

 rule there exists a seeming exception in the case of 

 the Colchicum autumnale, which produces, its fruit 



