THE PEAR TREE. 



609 



THE FRUIT IN 

 AN EARLY STAGE. 



saucer-shaped. Between the tapering bases of the petals, which are 

 widely separated, the pale green sepals are seen. The centre of the 

 floret looks a very pale green, for both pistil and stamens are usually 

 that colour, though the stamens are sometimes white. The crimson 

 pollen sacs at the tips of the stamens make dark spots against the 

 white petals. The pistil has usually three styles. 



The transition from flower to fruit is easily seen in the Fear. In the 

 early stages the sepals which project beyond the young fruit are very notice- 

 able. The relative position of the parts of a flower and the subsequent 

 formation ol the fruit is a most interesting study, but does not hill within 

 the scope of this book. In the blossom of the Pear, the ovary is 



