204 



The Union of Embryos. 



necessary union. No one can be ignorant that Cucumbers often 



come as twins ; so do 

 Nectarines ; and we 

 have now before us a 

 pair of Coe's Golden 

 Drop Plums complete- 

 ly united for about half 

 their length. In all 

 such cases no removal 

 of the surface of the 

 parts took place where 

 they joined. They 

 united in consequence 

 of being firmly pressed 

 together when very 

 young, and in the early 

 stage of growth while 

 the tissues were young, tender, and forming fast. 



A similar example is presented by the monstrous Apple of 

 which a figure is annexed. In this instance two Apple flowers, 



accidentally brought 

 into close contact in 

 the earliest state of 

 the bud, being kept 

 firmly in contact as 

 they advanced in 

 growth, ended by be- 

 coming half incorpo- 

 rated ; notwithstand- 

 ing which they finally 

 became a twin fruit, 

 consisting of two very 

 nequal halves. In 

 the smaller only four cells of the seed were formed, in the larger 

 but three. In other respects the structure was complete ; but 

 each was furnished with a pair of elevated lines on the side next 

 the line of junction, as shown in the figure. The nature of these 

 lines is unknown to us. Wliat is particularly deserving of atten- 

 tion here is, that the hairy surface of the young Apple flower of- 



