THE CRUCIFEROUS TRIBE. (3l 



style {fig- '2.). If you cut open the ovary you will 

 find {fig. 3.) that it contains two cells, in each of which 

 is a number of young seeds or ovules hanging by 

 slender thread-like stalks. 



The fruit {fig. 6.) becomes a wedge-shaped flat body, 

 composed of three pieces, two of which {fig. 6. a. «.), 

 the valves, separate from the third {fig. 6. &.), which 

 is named \hQ partition or dissepiment {fig. 8.) ; it is 

 to the edges of this third piece that the seeds stick 

 by little threads {fig. 7-)- -^^ ^^^ inside of these 

 seeds the embryo is bent double, after a singular 

 fashion {fig. 10.), the seed-root being pressed close to 

 the back of the seed-leaves. 



This has been rather a wearisome lesson, to one so 

 little accustomed to the use of the microscope, to 

 which you must already have had recourse several 

 times ; but you have now the satisfaction of knowing 

 that you possess the secret of recognizing with cer- 

 tainty nearly a thousand species, scattered over the 

 face of the world, all of which are harmless, and 

 many highly useful. 



What would the farmer do without Turnips and 

 Rape, which are Cruciferous plants ? or the gardener 

 without Cabbages, Sea- Kail, Mustard, Cress, and 

 Radishes ? or how could the florist supply the place 

 of his Wall-flowers and Stocks ? All these are such 

 common plants, that you can have no difficulty in 

 procuring specimens for examination ; you will find 

 that while they are all unlike in trifling circum- 

 stances, they agree in having their parts arranged 

 exactly in the same manner as the Shepherd's Purse ; 



