SECT. III. NATURAL DECAY. 517 



seed, which escapes when the pericarp decays. 

 Most fruits fall soon after ripening, as the Cherry 

 and Apricot, if not gathered ; but some remain long 

 attached to the parent plant after being fully ripe, 

 as in the case of the fruit of Crattfgm and Evony- 

 mus, which may be seen in the hedges in the midst 

 of winter, and of Mespilus, which continues till the 

 succeeding spring. But these, though tenacious of 

 their hold, detach themselves at last, as well as all 

 others, and bury themselves in the soil, about to 

 give birth to a new individual in the germination of 

 the seed. 



The fall of the flower and fruit is accounted for in 

 the same manner as that of the leaf. 



SUBSECTION II. 



Decay of the Permanent Organs. Such then is 

 the process and presumptive rationale of the decay 

 and detachment of the temporary organs of the 

 plant. But there is also a period beyond which 

 even the permanent organs themselves can no longer 

 carry on the process of vegetation. Plants are af- 

 fected by the infirmities of old age as well as ani- 

 mals, and are found to exhibit also similar symp- 

 toms of approaching dissolution. The root refuses 

 to imbibe the nourishment afforded by the soil, or if 

 it does imbibe a portion, it is but feebly propelled, 

 and partially distributed, through the tubes of the 

 alburnum ; the elaboration of the sap is now effected 



