20 ON THE ORGANS OF PLANTS. 



u Each moss, 



Each shell ; each crawling insect holds a rank, 

 Important in the plan of Him who form'd 



This scale of Beings, Holds a rank, which lost, 



Would break the chain, and leave a gap, 

 That Nature' s-self would rue." 



The FRUIT must now be examined ; it is, as you 

 have already learnt, that part of the Plant which con- 

 tains the SEED. 



An OVARY (which forms the lower part of the 

 Pistil) is the Seed-bud, and contains the OVULES, 

 which are the young Seeds. PI. II. 8. o. Ovaries of 

 different Plants, are often very differently formed : 

 and have different names to distinguish them, when 

 they become ripe Fruit. An Ovary is composed of 

 one or more leaves, called CARPELS, folded together 

 by their edges, so as to form a case that will hold the 

 seeds; and so firmly and closely are these Carpels 

 united, that they never split open or apart, till the seeds 

 are quite ripe. Some Carpels remain closed until 

 the seeds begin to grow, and the Carpel withers away. 



An ACHENE, is a Fruit formed of one Carpel, 

 which remains closed. PI. II. 6. c. 9. a. 



A FOLLICLE is formed of one Carpel, which splits 

 open down the inner margin, when ripe. PL II. 4. 

 and 7 f. 



