148 NATURE TEACHING 



the top of every young cob, is a bunch of stigmas, which, 

 being widely spread out, readily catch the pollen grains 

 as they float in the air. 



Fruits and Seeds. 



The production of seeds is the most important 

 object in the life of most plants, because in their natural 

 condition this is the chief method by which they 

 multiply. When the flower has been pollinated and 

 fertilised, the petals and other non-essential parts often 

 fade and wither away, their use being over. The pistil 

 develops into the fruit containing the seeds, each one 

 of which, as we have already learnt, contains a young 

 plant, the embryo. It is important to distinguish clearly 

 between fruits and seeds. Seeds are formed from the 

 ovules. During their ripening certain changes take place 

 in the ovary which contains them, resulting in the forma- 

 tion of the fruit. The fruit, therefore, is the ripened 

 ovary, and contains the seeds, the ripened ovules. 



Fruits are very variable in character, and, accord- 

 ing to their nature, they are often classified in various 

 ways. Some of the different kinds of fruits are dis- 

 tinguished by the names in common use, for instance, 

 berries, nuts, pods, etc. 



When the plant has formed its seeds it is most 

 important that these should be placed in such positions 

 that they may germinate, and that the seedlings may 

 have a good chance of success. Amongst other things 

 it is of advantage that they should be scattered to some 

 distance, for if they were merely dropped from the plant 

 on to the ground beneath, the seedlings would be so 



