FUNDAMENTAL TERMS. 9 



the carpels from the remainder, and place it imder 

 the miscroscope ; it will be found to resemble a seed 

 very much in appearance, and indeed is often called 

 by that name ; but you have already seen, from an 

 examination of the carpel, that the real seed is 

 hidden in its inside ; formerly fruits of this sort were 

 called naked seeds ; they are now called grains ; as 

 for instance a grain of caraway, a grain of wheat, 

 and so on. 



What remains to be seen of the structure of the 

 Crowfoot is very minute, and requires some expert- 

 ness in the use of a dissecting knife and microscope 

 to be easily made out. It is not, perhaps, very im- 

 portant that you should understand it ; but, I may 

 as well complete my account of the plant now that it 

 is before us. I would recommend you to trust, at 

 first, to the drawing that accompanies this ; and not 

 to waste your time in cutting up the grains, until 

 you have well understood what it is you have to 

 look for. 



The inside of the grain is filled up with the seed, 

 now arrived at its perfect state ; the shell of the 

 carpel has become hard and thick, and not only 

 effectually protects the seed from harm {jig. 8. a.) 

 but keeps it in the dark ; another wise provision, 

 for without darkness the seed could not grow. The 

 shell thus altered is called pericarp. 



If vou cut the seed througrh, vou will, for a long- 

 time, discover nothing but a solid mass of white flesh, 

 in which all the portions seem to be alike ; but if you 

 happen to have divided it accurately from top to 



