230 ON FRUIT. 



the centre will be hollow and empty ; for the partitions 

 formed by the folding of the leaves will only reach half 

 way; of this the poppy is an instance. If the leaves be 

 still less folded, they will spread out in growing, and the 

 fruit, though composed of several carpels, will only have 

 one cell: the melon is an example of this kind. 



Emily. How, then, can you distinguish a fruit that has 

 but one cell for seed, because it is formed but of one car- 

 pel, from a fruit that has but one cell, though originally 

 composed of several carpels ? 



Caroline. I think I can explain that. When the fruit 

 consists of one carpel only, the seed will be situated in a 

 row on one side of the carpel ; but when it consists of 

 several carpels, there will be as many rows of seeds as 

 there are carpels, since each carpel bears its row of seeds. 



Mrs. B. You are right ; but recollect that each row, 

 though apparently single, is in fact a double row, the seeds 

 being attached alternately to each valve of the carpel. 



Well, now that you have seen and understood the result 

 of the soldering of carpels together, and the effect of the 

 leaves, of which they are composed, being more or less 

 folded or curved inwards, you may readily conceive that 

 such differences are sufficient to account for the various 

 forms of fruits. 



When the carpels are verticillate, that is to say, situa- 

 ted around a common axis, or a little column (called col- 

 umella,) the division of the carpels often completely dis- 

 appear externally, and the fruit assumes a spherical ap- 

 pearance ; but if the convexity of the carpels be greater 

 than that of the whole fruit, each carpel protrudes exter- 

 nally, forming a rib, such as those of the house-leek. 



Emily. The sl\rub, which is dignified with the name 

 of Pseony-tree, has the carpels of its fruit enclosed in a 

 sort of membrane, which covers them completely. 



Mrs. B. This membrane, according to the celebrated 

 Mr. Brown, appears to be a prolongation of the Torus, 



1255. Examples of what are the poppy and the melon named! 1256. 

 What question does Emily ask"? 1257. How does Caroline answer 

 it! 1258. What does Mrs B. say must be recollected! 1259 

 When are the carpels said to be verticillate, and when they are what is the 

 form of the fruit! 1260. What is the consequence if the convexity of 

 the carpels be greater than that of the whole fruit! 1261. What is 

 said of the carpels of the Paeony^tree! 



