3 02 STUDIES IN SEEDS AND FRUITS 



that first opened my eyes to its importance. Although I can 

 only claim to have broken the ground, the contents of the 

 following table ought to be of interest. If figures can tell a 

 story, these data plainly show the varying rates of growth of 

 the pericarp and the seeds in the development of the fruit, 

 besides illustrating their history in the drying stage when the 

 pericarp has ceased to grow and begins to die. From this 

 standpoint we have two types of fruits displayed in the table. 

 The first, which is probably by far the commonest, is repre- 

 sented by the capsules of Iris and ALsculus and by the legumes 

 of Faba, Phaseolus, and Entada. Here the time of the 

 maximum growth of the seed roughly corresponds with that of 

 the pericarp, the seed entering upon its rest-period when the 

 fruit-covering begins to dry and lose weight. The second 

 is represented by such closed fruits as the acorn or nut of 

 the Oak (Quercus Robur\ and by the berry of Earringtonia 

 speciosa and the drupe of the Coco-nut Palm, the two last 

 possessing husky pericarps. Here the seed continues to add 

 to its weight and size after the pericarp has ceased to grow 

 and has begun to dry. 



The point in the case of the fruit of Barringtonia^ however, 

 needs further investigation ; but the indications are very 

 suggestive. Thus, in the table given below it is shown that 

 the drying fruit, weighing 4000 grains, has a heavier seed 

 than the full-sized moist fruit, weighing 9000 grains, that has 

 not yet begun to dry. The same thing is brought out in the 

 table illustrating the history of the fruit of Earringtonia speciosa 

 given in Note 1 1 of the Appendix. It will be found there 

 remarked under J that the seed has probably increased its 

 weight whilst the husk has been drying. 



It is quite possible that future investigators will discover 

 that the differences between the two types of fruits represented 

 in the following table are more in degree than in kind, and 

 that even in the prevailing type the seeds may continue to 

 add to their weight for a little while after the fruit -case has 

 begun to lose its vitality and to dry. There are distinct 



