148 FLOWER-GARDENING. 



other parts, upon secreted matter which they attract to them- 

 selves, elaborate, and store up in the cavities of their tissue. 



218. The office of feeding such fruit is performed by young 

 branches, which transmit nutriment to it through the bark (69). 



219. But as young branches can only transmit nutriment 

 downwards, it follows that, unless a fruit is formed on a part of 

 a branch below a leaf-bud, it must perish. 



220. Unless there is some active vegetation in the stem 

 above the branch on which it grows ; when it may possibly 

 live and feed upon secretions attracted by it from the main 

 stem. 



221. But inferior fruit, consisting at least of the calyx in 

 addition to the pistillum, has a much more powerful communi- 

 cation with the branch ; each division of its calyx having at 

 least one bundle of vascular and fibrous tissue, passing from it 

 into the branch, and acting as a stay upon the centre to pre- 

 vent its breaking off. 



222. Such fruit may be supposed much more capable of 

 establishing a means of attracting secretions from a distance ; 

 and, consequently, is less liable to perish from want of a supply 

 of food. 



223. It is therefore not so important that an inferior fruit 

 should be furnished with growing branches above it. 



224. Fruit is exclusively fed by the secretions prepared for it 

 by other parts ; it is therefore affected by nearly the same cir- 

 cumstances as flowers. 



225. It will be large in proportion to the quantity of food 

 the stem can supply to it ; and small in proportion to the 

 inability of the stem to nourish it. 



226. For this reason, when trees are weak, they should be 

 allowed to bear very little, if any, fruit ; because a crop of 

 fruit can only tend to increase their debility. 



227. And in all cases each fruit should be so far separated 

 from all others as not to be robbed of its food by those in its 

 vicinity. 



228. We find that nature has herself in some measure pro- 



