348 
NATURE 
[ Aug. 31, 1871 

break into pieces which do not allow the escape of the seeds ; 
and (3) fruits which neither dehisce nor fall into indehiscent 
pieces, including Berries, Drupes, and Achenes. As this last 
group is very heterogeneous, Dr. Dickson prefers to consider 
Berries, Drupes, and Achenes severally, as forms of equal value 
with Capsules or Schizocarps, and therefore would divide 
fruits into five groups, viz., ‘‘ Capsules,” ‘‘Schizocarps,” 
** Achenes,”” ‘‘ Berries,” and ‘‘ Drupes,” as will be seen in the 
following table : 
I. CarsuLte — 
Dry, dehiscir g, 
toallow the seeds 
to escape. 
Il. a 
—Dry, breaking 
up into indehis- 
cent pieces, 
———E—E 
Ill, AcHene. 
— Dry, indehis- 
cent,not breaking 
up. (Probably the 
names applied to 
= ~. 
ablythe two forms 
/ Simple: nos | 
included 
under 
be embraced bya 
single term.) 
this head should \ 
Compound. 

| 
Breaking longi- } 
tudinally into in- | 
dehiscent cocci.§ 
Breaking trans- 
versely into one- 
seeded joints, 
Breaking first 
longitudinally, 
then transversely 
Superior. 
$$ ee er 
I. 
Follicle.—Dehiscing by onesuture, 
usually the ventral: e.g., Aqui- 
legia, Caltha, Magnolia. 
2. Legume.—Debiscing by both su- 
us 
. Cremocarp. — Lobes 
iyo 
9. 
4 
2 
Il. 
tures; eg, Cytisus, Vicia, &c. 
(Name wanted) Seeds escaping by 
longitudinal rupture of the wall 
of the capsule (dehiscence by 
valves, teeth, or pores): eg., 
Brassica, Vicla, Rhodcdendron, 
Iris, Lychnis, Papaver, Campa- 
nula, &c. 
Pyxidium.— Seeds escaping by 
transverse rupture of the wall of 
the capsule (dehiscence circum- 
cissile): e g., fromsuperior ovary, 
Anagallis, Plantago, Hyoscia- 
mus, &c.; from inferior, Ber- 
tholletia, &c. 
Regma.—Seeds escaping by rup- 
ture along the inner angles of 
the lobes into which the fruit 
separates: e.g., Geranium, Eu- 
phorbia, &c. 
Carcerulus.—Lobes not hanging 
from forked ‘‘ Carpophore:”¢ ¢., 
Tropzolum, Borago, &c. 
separating 
from below, and, for a time, 
hanging from extremities of 
forked “carpophore:” e.g, 
(from superior ovary) Acer, and 
(from inferior ovary) Usidedli- 
Jere. 
Lomentum.—e.g., Omithopus, &c. 
(Name wanted) ¢ g., Platystemon. 
Acheve (in restricted sense.—Peri- 
carp not adherent to seed: e.g, 
Ranunculus, Rumex, Ulmus, 
Fraxinus, &c. 
Caryopsis.—Pericarp adhering to 
seed: e.g., Graminex, &c. 
the different 12. Cyfsela.—Pericarp not much in- 
forms should be durated : ¢.g., Composite, Vale- 
cbonshed andthe retesciont ria TEBE &c. 
healt IL) ae 13. Glans.—Pericarp hard : e.¢., Quer- 
plied to all.) cus, Castanea, Fagus, Corylus, 
&e. 
14. Uva —Superior: e.g., Vitis, Sola 
Outer portion of num, &c. 
pericarp delicate x re ean 
wees 5. Bacca (in restricted sense).—Infe- 
ie ae (thin-skinned). rior: ¢.g., Ribes, Vaccinium, &c. 
ean anbedded 16. Amphisarca. — Superior: ¢.s., 
2 P- . ti f Adansonia, Passiflora, &ce. (Ci- 
indchiscent. Soe aa ie trus should be included here.) 
thery, or hard) 77, Pefo.—tInferior: ¢.g., Cucurbita, 
(thick-skinned). Cucumis, &c. (Punica should 
be included here. ) 
One-stoned. 
(Probably thetwo | 1g Drupe (in restricted sense).—Su 
= . Dru : sense).—Supe- 
V. Drure.— eae ue heea 40K = 6:22) Emus, (Cocos, ec. 
Endocarp_ dljis- 
tinctly defined & 
more or less indu- 
rated, Outer por- 
tion of pericarp 
of variable con- 
sistence— fleshy, 
should be em- 
braced bya single 
term.) 
Two or more 
stoned. (Prob- 
ably the twoforms 
included under 
————— /{ 
Tryma —Inferior: e.g., Juglans, 
Viburnum, &c. 
. (Name wanted) Superior: ¢.g:, 
Ilex, Empetrum. 
leathery, or fi- this head should } 21- ?oe.—Inferior : ¢.g., Pyrus, Cra 
brous. Asarule tagus, Sambucus, & 
E 2 >| be embraced bya PATE ST Te ee 
indehiscent. 

\ 
\rilocular stone. 
single term.) 
With one plu- 
} 22. (Name wanted) e g., Cornus. 
As the modifications undergone by the fruit in ripening stand 
in direct relation to the dispersion of the parts by which the 


plant is disseminated, probably the most philosophical method of 
classifying fruits would be according to the nature of the parts 
disseminated. To carry out this principle rigorously, however, 
would lead to practical difficulties, far outweighing any advantage 
gained. Atthe same time, it is evident that the foregoing classi- 
fication satisfies, in a general way, the conditions of such a 
method ; thus, in capsules and berries, the seeds, as a rule, are the 
ultimate parts disseminated ; in Drupes, the s¢ozes ; in Schizo- 
carps, the mericarps or jornts ; and in Achenes, the fruits as 
wholes. As refractory exceptions, however, may be mentioned, 
those cases where the seed mzénzs its testa is the part ultimately 
disseminated, for example, in Oxa/is, where, on dehiscence of 
the capsule, the elastic testa becomes ruptured, violently expelling 
the body of the seed with the tegmen; or inthe so-called dru- 
paceous seeds (¢.g. in unica) which are doubtless devoured by 
birds, and, after digestion of the pulpy testa, the body of the 
seed with the hard tegmen is evacuated, and dissemination 
occurs. Or, again, in sucha drupe as the apple, where the 
induration of the endocarp is slight, we have the fruit behaving 
as a berry, and dissemination taking place by means of the 
seeds. 
Some botanists may perhaps be surprised to note the omission 
of the terms s//7gva and silicula, so universally employed to desig- 
nate the fruits of crwcifere. A little reflection, however, is sufficient 
to make it evident that, if distinctions so trifling in character, as 
those which separate these fruits from other valvular capsules, 
were consistently carried out in practice, the terminology would 
become altogether intolerable. A similar argument may be 
adduced in favour of the suggestion made in the foregoing table, 
as to the propriety of devising some common term which wiil 
supersede those of follicle and legume. = 


NOTES 
WE are happy to say that the Eclipse Committee has becn 
perfectly successful in its attempt to send a complete set of in- 
struments to Australia ; and a code of instructions is being drawn 
up in order to ensure similar observations being made at all 
stations. 
Ir is now announced that the Swedish Government has aban- 
doned the intention of establishing a colony in Spitzbergen for 
permanent scientific observation, mainly, it appears, in conse- 
quence of jealousies on the part of the Russian Government. 
THE autumn meetings of the Iron and Steel Institute were 
commenced at Dudley on Tuesday morning, under the presidency 
of Mr. Henry Bessemer. About 250 members of the Institute 
were present, and during the course of the proceedings, the 
secretary announced that forty-seven new members had been 
elected, amongst whom were the Earl of Dudley, and Sir 
Antonio Brady, of London. The President, in opening 
the meeting, described the locality in which it was as- 
sembled as one of the most interesting districts this country 
presented to the iron manufacturers—a district, indeed, in which 
they might say that the great iron industry took its rise ; its very 
cradle and bithplace. Mr. H. Johnson, mining engineer, read 
a paper ‘‘ On the Geological Features of the South Staffordshire 
Coalfield, in Special Reference to the Future Development of 
its Mineral Resources.” The South Staffordshire coalfield, one 
of the oldest in Great Britain, he said, was remarkably rich in 
coal, ironstone, and limestone. ‘The secretary then read a paper 
by Mr. John Giers, Middlesboro’, ‘‘On the Ayresome Iron- 
works, Middlesboro’, with Remarks upon the Alteration in the 
Size of Cleveland Furnaces during the last Ten Years.” A 
paper was read by Mr. Thomas Whitwell, Thornaby Ironworks, 
Stockton, ‘* On further Results from the Use of Hot Blast Fire, 
brick Stoves.” Mr, T. W. Plum, Shifnal, Salop, read a paper 
“‘On the Advantages of increased Height of the Blast Furnaces 
in the Midland District.” The last paper was read by Mr. J. 
Lowthian Bell, Newcastle, ‘‘On Mr. Ferries’ Self-coking Fur- 
nace.” <A large party then proceeded by train to Tipton, where 
the ironworks between that town and Wolverhampton were 
visited, and a pleasant afternoon was spent in investigating the 

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