258 LETTER XXII. 



of an ovule, and of a shell that includes it, but both 

 are so soft that they grow together, and cannot be 

 distinguished. Immediately after the styles wither, 

 the ovary swells, gradually loses its softness, and at 

 last when ripe is nearly bald, having gained a sallow 

 appearance, and become longer and thinner. At the 

 period of maturity (^fig- 6.) there is still no means of 

 separating the shell of the fruit from the skin of the 

 seed, so completely are they grown together ; the 

 fruit looks therefore so like a seed, that it is no 

 wonder it should popularly be called so ; it is better, 

 however, to designate it a grain. If you crush the 

 ripe grain you will find its contents of a hardish 

 horny consistence, but easily reduced into the state 

 of flour : from what you have seen in other instances 

 you will easily recognize this for albumen. It is 

 possible, that you may search in vain for an embryo, 

 amidst all this flour ; and I dare say, if I do not tell 

 you how to look for it, you will waste a great deal of 

 time in finding it, even if you should recognize it 

 when found. Follow me attentively, and I shall 

 easily relieve you of this difficulty. The ripe grain 

 is much narrower at one end than the other, and 

 more convex on one side than the other ; turn the 

 grain on its flat side, so that the convexity is upper- 

 most, and then carry your eye to the narrowest end ; 

 there you will espy a minute oval depression {fig. 6. a.); 

 if you carefully lift up the skin at this part, you will 

 detect the embryo lying snugly half buried in albu- 

 men. It will appear like a greenish-yellow plano- 

 convex oval body, in which you can discern no marks 



