DEFINITION OF FRUITS. 



These are barely the names of the orders and genera. A more mi- 

 nute description would be burdened with terms not important, it is 

 thought, to the general reader. 



The capsule, as we have said, consists of one or more cells which 



are shown in the accompanying 

 cut. These discharge their seeds 

 spontaneously by the division of 

 the valves, on becoming dry. 

 Some are discharged through 

 small pores, and others are dis- 

 persed by the pericarp acting like an elastic spring and throwing them 

 in various directions, as with the touch me not, etc. 



This cut exhibits the form of the pericarp of the 

 primrose, with the same cut in two, showing the 

 seeds within and the manner of their growth on the 

 receptacle. 



This cut represents a two, or bivalved, pericarp which 

 is a siliqua, or pod, in which the seeds are arranged 

 alternately along the edges of the partition separating 

 the pod by the two sutures, as in the wall flower, cab- 

 bage, turnip, etc. 



This shows the form of a little pod, or silicle, and 

 differs from the siliqua only in its size and shape, as 

 in the satin-flower and shepherd's purse. 



This is a representation of the legume, a kind of pericarp 

 with two valves, but without a partition, or dissepiment. 

 It bears its seeds along one suture only and is the well 

 known pod of the pea, bean, etc., all composing the legu- 

 minous plants of the 17th botanical class, and one of the 

 largest and most useful tribe. 



