BOOK II. 
GENERAL CONSIDERATIONS. 
283 
of increase. Of these little stunted branches, called spurs, 
the terminal bud acquires a swollen appearance, and at length, 
instead of giving birth to a new shoot, produces from its 
bosom a cluster of twigs in the form of pedicels, each 
terminated by a bud, the leaves of which are modified for the 
purposes of reproduction, grow firmly to each other, assume 
peculiar forms and colours, and form a flower, which had 
been enwrapped and protected from injury during the pre- 
vious winter by several layers of imperfect leaves, now brought 
forth as bracts. Sap is impelled into the calyx through the 
pedicel by gentle degrees, is taken up by it, and exposed by 
the surface of its tube and segments to air and light ; but, 
having very imperfect means of returning, all that cannot 
be consumed by the calyx is forced onwards into the circula- 
tion of the petals, stamens, and pistil. The petals unfold 
themselves of a dazzling white tinged with pink, and expose 
the stamens ; at the same time the disk changes into a sac- 
charine substance, which is supposed to nourish the stamens 
and pistil, and give them energy to perform their functions. 
At a fitting time, the stigmatic surface of the pistil being 
ready to receive the pollen, the latter is injected upon it from 
the anthers, which have remained near for that particular 
purpose. When the pollen touches the stigma, the grains 
adhere by means of its viscid surface, emitting a delicate 
membranous tube, which pierces into the stigmatic tissue, 
lengthens there, and conveys the matter contained in the 
pollen towards the ovules, which the tube finally enters by 
means of their foramen. 
This has no sooner occurred than the petals and stamens 
fade and fall away, their ephemeral but important functions 
being accomplished. The sap which is afterwards impelled 
through the peduncle can only be disposed of to the calyx and 
ovary, where it lodges: these two swell and form a young 
fruit, which continues to grow as long as any new matter of 
growth is supplied from the parent plant. At this time the 
surface of the fruit performs the functions of leaves in expos- 
ing the juice to light and air; at a subsequent period it ceases 
to decompose carbonic acid, gains oxygen, loses its green 
colour, assumes the rich ruddy glow of maturity ; and the 
