INTRODUCTION. vii 



and understand their relations to the surroundings; 

 and not merely regard the practical school lesson in 

 Botany as only concerned with structure. This latter 

 is usually done by means of the Floral Schedule, an 

 invention of the late Eev. J. S. Henslow, formerly 

 Professor of Botany in the University of Cambridge, 

 England. It is an admirable means for securing accicraci/ 

 both in observation and recording. 



But I should like the teacher to do much more, 

 and show the pupils (who, if young, should be entirely 

 taught practically without any book) why one plant 

 is hairy or woolly ; why another is quite smooth ; why 

 some flowers are "regular," others "irregular;" how 

 it comes about that some plants are spiny, others not 

 at all, etc. 



Then such matters as insectivorous habits and 

 climbing powers, parasitism, epiphytal modes of life — 

 not to add the various adaptations in flowers for wind-, 

 insect-, and self-pollination — should each and all in 

 turn be discussed in the lesson as occasion arises. 



All these and other additional matters to the "lesson 

 proper " will excite the interest and enthusiasm of the 

 pupils. 



Another thing which the teacher should do is to 

 encourage the pupils to bring to school all the examples 

 they can find of the various parts of the plants treated 

 of in any particular lesson — such as adaptations of 

 flowers for pollination, of fruits and seeds showing 



