516 CASUALTIES OF VEGETABLES. CHAP. XII. 



which, like the leaves, are only temporary organs, are 

 for the most part very short-lived ; for as the object 

 of their production is merely that of effecting the 

 impregnation of the germe, that object is no sooner 

 obtained than they begin again to give indications of 

 decay, and speedily fall from the plant ; so that the 

 most beautiful part of the vegetable is also the most 

 transient. The flower of the Night-blowing Cereus, 

 the most 'magnificent of all flowers, no sooner ex- 

 pands than it begins to decay, and before the sun has 

 risen upon it its beauty is gone. The flowers of the 

 Poppy and Tulip, though very gaudy, are very short- 

 lived ; and the beautiful blossom of our fruit-trees 

 soon begins to fade. The scene often continues 

 blooming indeed, both in the landscape of nature 

 and of art, but that is more owing to the succession 

 of blossoms on the same or on different plants, than 

 to the permanency of individual blossoms. And so 

 also of the flowers that adorn the field or meadow ; 

 they spring up in perpetual succession, but are in- 

 dividually of very short duration. 



ART. 3. The Fall of the Fruit. The fruit, which 

 begins to appear conspicuous when the flower falls, 

 expands and increases in volume, and, assuming a 

 peculiar hue as it ripens, ultimately detaches itself 

 from the parent plant and drops into the soil. But 

 it does not in all cases detach itself in the same 

 manner : thus in the Bean and Pea the seed-vessel 

 opens and lets the seeds fall out ; while in the Apple, 

 Pear, and Cherry, the fruit falls entire, enclosing the 



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