l'J4 BOTANY FOR BEGIN3NEK3. (Oil. XVII 



been named and described, including many wirch have been 

 rece itly discovered in. New Holland and about the Cape oi 

 Go-,d Hope, is said to be 56,000. 



i35. If species of plants were described without any regular 

 order, w r e could derive no pleasure, and very little advantage, 

 from the study of practical botany. If we \Vished to find out 

 the name of a plant, we should be obliged to turn over the 

 leaves of a large volume, without any rule to guide us in our 

 search. 



436. The necessity of some kind of system was so appa- 

 rent, that many attempts for the methodical arrangement of 

 plants, were made, before the time of Linnaeus ; but his system 

 was so superior to all others, that it was no sooner published to 

 the world, than it was adopted by the universal consent of ali 

 men of science. 



437. This system not only includes within it all knowr, 

 plants, but is founded on such principles as must comprehend 

 within it whatever plants may yet be discovered. Its autho* 

 believed that no plant was destitute of stamens and pistils : bu 

 at the same time, that there were species in which these organ' 

 were so small, so obscure, or of such a singular formation, as t> 

 render u difficult, and sometimes impossible, to be certain o 

 their existence, except by the principle of analogy. 



438. Linnaeus made two grand divisions of plants, Pheiu: 

 gamous, such as have stamens and pistils visible, and CrypU 

 gamous, stamens and pistils invisible. 



439. The following comparison has been very properly mad 

 in illustration of the divisions in the system of Linnaeus. 



Classes are compared to States. 

 Orders, to Towns. 



Genera, to Families. 



Species, to Individuals. 



440. You must not forget, while you are studying botany 

 that plants themselves are the only real substances ; species 

 genus, order, and class, are mere abstract terms, denoting cer 

 tain distinctions which would equally have existed, although 

 we had never observed them, or given them names. 



435. What would be the consequence if specie? were described with- 

 out regularity'? 



436. Were any attempts at a methodical arrangement of plants 

 made before the time of Linnaeus? 



437. Does the system of Linnaeus provide for the arrangement 01 

 plants not yet discovered 1 



438. What two grand divisions of plants did Linnaeus make? Q.L 



439. How may the divisions in botany be illustrated? 



440. Which are the oiv /real substances that are considered in botan v* 



