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On the fortieth day the cavity, now grown larger, was quite filled with 
the body, which was covered with a thin membrane; after this membrane 
was removed, the body appeared of a bright green, and was easily divided 
by the point of a needle into two portions, which manifestly formed the 
two lobes; and within these, attached to the lower part, the exceedingly 
small plantule was easily perceived. 
The foregoing observations evince, 1. That the seeds exist in the ovarium 
many days before fecundation. 2. That they remain for some time solid, 
and then a cavity containing a liquid is formed in them. 3. That after 
fecundation a body begins to appear within the cavity fixed by two points 
to the sides, which in process of time proves to be two lobes containing a 
plantule. 4. That the ripe seed consists of two lobes adhering to a plantule, 
and surrounded by a thin membrane, which is itself covered with a husk or 
cuticle. 
The analogy between seeds and eggs has long been observed, and is 
confirmed by the mode of their production. The egg is known to be formed 
within the hen long before its impregnation. C. F. Wolf asserts, that the 
yolk of the egg is nourished by the vessels of the mother, and that it has 
from those its arterial and venous branches; but that after impregnation 
these vessels gradually become impervious and obliterated; and that new 
ones are produced from the foetus, and dispersed into the yolk. The 
young seed after fecundation I suppose is nourished in a similar manner 
from the gelatinous liquor, which is previously deposited for that purpose; 
the germen of the plant producing or secreting it into a reservoir or amnios, 
in which the embryo is lodged; and that the young embryo is furnished 
with vessels to absorb a part of it, as in the very early state of the embryo 
in the egg. 
Another curious analogy seems to exist between the embryo of the 
seed and of the egg in their mode of suspension. The cicatricula of the 
e gg r ests on the yolk, which is suspended by two points, called chalazse, 
somewhat above its center of gravity; whence, however the egg is moved, 
this embryo is always kept upwards, probably the better to receive the 
warmth of the mother during incubation. The seed-embryo seems to be 
supported in the same manner by the above relation of Spallanzani by two 
points, and may thus receive a greater warmth from the summer sun. 
Hence the seeds of vegetables are a sexual offspring, corresponding with 
the eggs of animals, and contain, like them, not only the rudiment of the 
