300 HOW CHOPS GROW. 



ter-cress, etc., are termed Cruciferous plants, because their 

 flowers have four petals arranged like the four arms of a 

 cross, (Latin, crux). 



The flowers of a large natural order of plants are ar- 

 ranged side by side, often in great numbers, on the expand- 

 ed extremity of the flower-stem. Examples are the thistle, 

 dandelion, sun-flower, artichoke, China-aster, etc., which, 

 from bearing such compound heads, are called Composite , 

 plants. 



The Coniferous (cone-bearing) plants comprise the 

 pines, larches, hemlocks, etc., whose flowers are arranged 

 in conical receptacles. 



The flowers of the carrot, parsnip, and caraw^ay, are ar- 

 ranged at the extremities of stalks which radiate from a 

 central stem like the arms of an umbrella ; hence they are 

 called XTrnbelliferous plants, (from umbel, Latin, for little 

 screen). 



§2. ^ 



THE FEUIT 



The Fetjit comprises the seed-vessel and the seed, to- 

 gether with their various appendages. 



The Seed-vessel, consisting of the base of the pistil in 

 its matured state, exhibits a great variety of forms and 

 characters, which serve, chiefly, to define the difierent 

 kinds of Fruits. Of these we shall only adduce such as 

 are of common occurrence and belong to the farm. 



The IVut has a hard, leathery or bony shell, that does 

 not open spontaneously. Examples are the acorn, chest- 

 nut, beech-nut, and hazel-nut. The cup of the acorn and 

 the bur of the others is a sort of fleshy calyx. 



The Stone-fruit or Drupe is a nut enveloped by a 

 fleshy or leathery coating, like the peach, cherry, and plum, 



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