149 



wood as parts of their structure, are destitute of the peculiar products of these 

 parts. Hence it is mostly for food that such plants are valuable, and their roots 

 (or rather rhizomata) and fruits or seeds are the parts chiefly employed for this 

 purpose — as the arrow-root, the seeds of the cereal grains, wheat, rice, &c, and 

 dates, cocoa-nuts, &c, are examples. 



The remaining section of plants comprises those which grow by additions to 

 the exterior (hence called Exogens), and which have the stems conical and 

 branched, and the parts of the flower arranged in fives or regular multiple of five. 

 (See flowers of Marvel of Peru, Pink, Rose, Potentilla, Apple, &c). In these 

 the leaves have the veins forming a net-work ; they possess bark and a perfect 

 woody structure, and consequently all the principles which are either formed or 

 deposited in these. Among such plants are to be found the most active vegeta- 

 ble poisons, sources at once of injury and benefit to man ; for while the savage 

 employs them only to destroy his enemies, whether of the brute or human kind, 

 the skilful and benevolent physician converts them into instruments of great, nay, 

 of unspeakable, benefit to his suffering fellow-creatures. 



So in the arts : does the dresser of leather need an agent to assist him in tan- 

 ning, he seeks and finds it only in this section of the vegetable kingdom, as the 

 astringent principle he requires is mostly lodged in the bark — as the Oak, the 

 Willow, the Larch, and others which are employed for this purpose attest 

 Again ; are fixed oils required for any of the various purposes to which they can 

 be applied — they are, with one or two exceptions only, to be obtained from this 

 section of the vegetable kingdom. All kinds of gums, of resins, and gum-resins, 

 with scarcely any exceptions, are exclusively supplied by this section of plants. 



It is unnecessary to add more examples to prove the advantage of proceeding 

 in our examination of the vegetable kingdom, in reference to its uses to mankind, 

 according to principles which have their foundation in the unalterable laws of na- 

 ture, and therefore furnish the best and most certain guides. It cannot be 

 doubted that the Author of nature intended these external marks and definite 

 numbers, to be indices, or signs of internal properties ; and instances might be 

 given where a very slight, and, as some might think, unimportant difference of 

 external structure, furnished a key to an important difference of chemical compo- 

 sition. 



That the recognition of these principles will be productive in time of much 

 utility may easily be imagined, but that is not the only or most essential object in 

 noticing them at present ; which is to intimate that throughout all nature a balanc- 

 ing, adjusting, and proportioning principle reigns, giving evidence of the whole 

 being an emanation from one great Creative Being. Attention being once di- 

 rected to the existence of such proofs, the observer will recognize them everywhere, 

 and they will serve to illustrate to every mind, the wisdom displayed in the crea- 



