40 
SEEDS OF PLANTS. 
in a plant, that I should never (in spite of this resemblance) 
have acknowledged them to le seeds, if I had not in innumer- 
able instances traced them from the radicle to the root, and 
then to the flower, and seen them pass into the seed vessels 
while under my eye in the microscope, After such absolute 
proof, I could not doubt their identity. But the manner in 
which the seeds pass into the pericarp, within the various buds. 
Seeds collect is much to be admired j in some trees (that is in all firs) they 
onhe flower*” the bottom of the flower-stalk, and form an heap ; 
here they remain for some time ; and as the alburnum vessels 
had long before made a dip to each flower, when it conveyed 
the bud to its cradle in the bark, the line of life accompanying 
it, its passage is already prepared j as it is through these same 
alburnum vessels it passes from the aggregate numbers, dropping 
a few seeds into each seed vessel, which gapes wide to receive 
them } and so exact is the calculation, that by the time the 
buds have each attained their proper number, the heap has 
disappeared, and except a few lingering ones in the vessel which 
conveys them, all will have past away. (See the branch of 
No collection Larch in Journal, No l6l. p. 1.) But in other trees there 
at the bottom collection at the bottom of the flower-stalk j the seeds 
pass at once from the alburnum in the stem,* to the same 
vessel in the stalk j dropping such a number of seeds into 
each paricarp, which opens to receive them, and immediately 
closes on its treasure. In trees, I have never been able 
to catch the seeds passing into the pericarp while under my 
eye ; that is, move during the moment of observation ; though 
I have cut down many a tree and prepared the specimen within 
the hour j but in plants that rise each year from the earth, I 
have not only seen it frequently myself, but shewn it to others 
while moving ; particularly the strawberry root, where the 
seeds are very large and very conspicuous j and in the arum, 
where if properly dissected and retained in the right cylinder, 
they may be seen mounting in the vessels, and removing into 
the various pericarps for nearly a quarter of an hour j some 
plants are stronger in their motions and preserve it longer than 
others •, for as it it wholly caused by the mechanical force of 
the 
of the flower 
stsilk 
The seeds 
moving into 
the pericarp. 
