vi INTRODUCTION. 



We shall then see how every plant is adaijtcd to 

 its position in life, and how it has acquired the pecu- 

 liarities which characterize each kind respectively. 



(2) The Student who may be somewhat more ad- 

 vanced, and may be working by himself, should care- 

 fully dissect every flower he meets with. Then let 

 him write down the particulars of structure, as well 

 as make sketches of the different parts in his note-book. 

 This procedure impresses the details strongly on the 

 mind, which is apt to forget minute points of structure 

 after examiniug many flowers. 



When he discovers that there are often an immense 

 number of ''species," such as the different kinds of 

 Heath — of which botauists reckon the amount to be 

 some five hundred — he may wonder how Mature has 

 made so many, as well as how the various shapes or 

 forms of flowers have arisen. So I have added sections 

 dealing with these matters. 



It is most important to understand clearly the 

 structure of flowers, because the classification of plants 

 is almost entirely based upon it ; and although they 

 look so different, flowers can be easily grouped upon 

 a few very simple " elements of variation," as one 

 might call them. 



(3) I have entitled this book as also intended for 

 Teachers as well as Beginners and Students, because 

 it is most important that they should encourage their 

 pupils to look at plants and their flowers themselves, 



