PECULIARITIES OF THE BALSAM. 157 



seeds require to be gathered before they are 

 perfectly ripe ; for when they come to full ma- 

 turity, they burst their pods and are lost ; for 

 example, the balsam, which is called impatient, 

 or irritable, from the seed flying out when the 

 seed vessel is touched. 



This property of the balsam is very striking, 

 and is well worth your minute observation ; it 

 is one of the many and admirable means which 

 Providence has taken for the dispersion of 

 seeds, in order to continue the propagation of 

 the species. You will observe the elastic spring 

 which the seed vessel gives when touched ; so 

 as to throw the seed to some distance. This 

 property is more remarkable in the wild Eng- 

 lish balsam, or Noli me tangere ; and still more 

 in the spurting cucumber, or Elaterium. 



I shall not digress into an account of the 

 different modes by which seeds are scattered : 



