72 VITAL ACTIONS. 



attracted into it, yet, because of its smallness, the 

 amount of this power is inconsiderable ; it contributes 

 little to the general secretions of the plant that bears 

 it, but expends its powers in the elaboration of matter 

 for its own use. That it does, however, form wood, 

 like ordinary leaves, is evident, if the flower-stalk of 

 a Cherry is compared with the stalk of the fruit of the 

 same tree ; and this becomes still more apparent when 

 the elaborating forces of many separate fruits are, in 

 consequence of their compact arrangement, brought 

 to contribute to the lignification of a common stalk, 

 as in the Pinaster tree. 



96. The great purpose for which the fruit is formea 

 seems to be the protection and nutrition of the seed, 

 the perfect maturation of which is essential to the per- 

 petuation of the races of plants. In most cases the 

 whole of the fluid or nutritious parts is consumed in 

 effecting this end ; but in certain instances there is a 

 surplus, which, if sweet, and unmixed with delete- 

 rious secretions, becomes fit for food. In either case, 

 the fruit has, in common with leaves, the power of 

 attracting food from the surrounding parts ; and we 

 see that this property causes the destruction of some 

 fruits by their neighbours which are more advanced 

 in growth, or accidentally more vigorous, and whose 

 attracting power is so great as to draw to themselves 

 all the food intended for the weaker fruits, which then 

 fall off. Of the food thus to be consumed in the ma- 

 turation of the fruit, a portion is derived from the 

 atmosphere, but the principal part has to be prepared 

 by the leaves, which obtain it from the earth through 



