Blossom and Seed 165 



produces a huge blossom, more than a yard across, mainly 

 at the expense of the vine-like plant upon which it fixes itself. 



It is not by any means a beautiful object, and its petals, 

 which are thick and fleshy in texture as well as flesh-col- 

 ored, have the smell of tainted beef. This monster takes 

 several months to come to perfection, and then weighs 

 about fifteen pounds; after which it begins, in a few 

 days, to wither away. 



An ordinary, complete, simple blossom, whether large 

 or small, brightly colored or inconspicuous, consists of 

 two sets of parts, or organ, an outer and an inner set. It 

 is the function of the inner set to form the seed; and it is 

 the function of the outer set to protect the inner from all 

 injury, and also, in many cases, to attract the under-gar- 

 deners already referred to, whose good oflices are required 

 for the development of the seed. 



The perfecting of the seed is the great thing to be 

 accomplished; and those parts of the blossom which con- 

 tribute to this object are placed in the center, as far out 

 of harm's way as possible. If we examine, for instance, 

 a common primrose, splitting it carefully upwards from 

 the base of the flower, we shall see in the very center a 

 hair-like stalk, with a knob at the upper end and a hollow 

 swelling at the lower end. On splitting open this hollow 

 part, we find that it contains a number of very minute 

 grains, ovules, or little eggs, which, in the ordinary course 

 of things, would be converted into seeds. 



This central organ is the pistil, which consists of one 

 or more bodies, named carpels, each with its hollow case, 

 or ovary, below, and its stalk, or style, above; and these 

 are either distinct one from another, or combined into one 

 organ. 



