association

# File activerecord/lib/active_record/associations.rb, line 152
    def association(name) #:nodoc:
      association = association_instance_get(name)

      if association.nil?
        reflection  = self.class.reflect_on_association(name)
        association = reflection.association_class.new(self, reflection)
        association_instance_set(name, association)
      end

      association
    end