STORAGE OF FOOD IN THE SEED 21 



27. Other Constituents of Seeds. — Besides the substances 

 above suggested, otliers occur in different seeds. Some of 

 these are of use in feeding the seedling, others are of value 

 in protecting the seed itself from being eaten by animals 

 or in rendering it less liable to decay. In such seeds as 

 that of the nutmeg, the essential oil wliich gives it its char- 

 acteristic flavor probably makes it unpalatable to animals 

 and at the same time preserves it from decay. 



Date seeds are so hard and tough that they cannot be 

 eaten and do not readily decay. Lemon, orange, horse- 

 chestnut, and buckeye seeds are too bitter to be eaten, 

 and the seeds of the apple, cherry, peach, and plum are 

 somewhat bitter. 



The seeds of larkspur, thorn-apple, ^ croton, the castor- 

 oil plant, nux vomica, and many other kinds of plants 

 contain active poisons. 



1 Datm-a, commonly called " Jimson weed." 



