I 



220 THE LARGEST FLOWERS. 



largest flower with us is the sun-flower, which 

 sometimes measures a foot or eighteen inches 

 across ; but we are straying from the Forest. 



Nature, having given us abundance of 

 fi'uit on trees of smaller growth, has not fur- 

 nished timber trees in general with eatable 

 fruit ; their solid substance was chiefly in- 

 tended for the use of man. There are excep- 

 tions, however, to this statement, as the wal- 

 nut and sweet chestnut. Every tree, inc^eed, 

 has its^'seed, which, how small and insignificant 

 soever it may appear, is still of more value 

 than the pine-apple or the melon, because ca- 

 pable of producing the same sort of tree again." 



