38 



Plant Physiology 



mately the average water-content of a number of familiar 

 plants or plant products : 



27. Variation in water-content of different organs. 

 An examination of the various analyses reported by chem- 

 ists will indicate that the different products or organs of 

 the same plant may vary materially in the water-content, 

 as would be anticipated. This may be due in part to 

 differences in the amount of supporting or otherwise dif- 

 ferentiated tissues. Fruits may, however, contain much 

 more water than the growing shoots upon which they are 

 developed, or certain fruits may contain at maturity very 

 much less. This will all depend upon the nature of the 

 tissues in these parts, and upon the degree of maturity, 

 or the method by which maturity is accomplished. 



During the ripening of seeds the water-content may be 



