4 



Our Field and Forest Trees 



just a pod or a husk or a little dun-colored affair, 

 no more edible than a grain of sand. 



Inside the fruit Nature puts the seed. And 

 inside the seed, folded closely and tranced in 

 sleep, is a minute plant — the coming generation 

 (Fig. 2). 



A fruit has three parts : an outer skin, a central 

 portion, and an inner skin, to which the seeds are 

 fastened. These can all be plainly 

 seen in a lima bean pod, which, 

 let us remember, is a fruit, even 

 though appearances be against 

 it. It has a leafy outer covering, 

 a pulpy middle portion, a pale 

 satin lining, and the beans are 

 the seeds. 



In later spring, when the fruit 

 blossoms have just fallen, the 

 baby peaches are green seed 

 cases, differing but little from 

 the tiny pods on the bean vines. 

 But as summer goes on, the seed 

 cases of the fruit trees are altered 

 amazingly. In the peach, the outer part of the 

 seed case becomes velvety and gorgeous, the 

 middle part grows juicy and luscious, the inner 

 part becomes very hard, and the bitter, almond- 

 like kernel is the seed. 



Great changes take place in what is left of the 

 flower after its bright leaves fall. These may be 



2. A, Pine 

 seed cut open to 

 show the young 

 plant; B, Young 

 seedling pine. 



