THE 
NATURAL HISTORY OF PLANTS. 
INTRODUCTION. 
THE STUDY OF PLANTS IN ANCIENT AND IN MODERN TIMES. 
Plants considered from the point of view of utility.—Description and classification of plants.— 
Doctrine of metamorphosis and speculations of nature-philosophy.—Scientifie method based on 
the history of development.—Objects of botanical research at the present day. 
PLANTS CONSIDERED FROM THE POINT OF VIEW OF UTILITY. 
SoME years ago I rambled over the mountain district of North Italy in the 
lovely month of May. In a small sequestered valley, the slopes of which were 
densely clad with mighty oaks and tall shrubs, I found the flora developed in all 
its beauty. There, in full bloom, was the laburnum and manna-ash, besides 
broom and sweet-brier, and countless smaller shrubs and grasses. From every 
bush came the song of the nightingale; and the whole glorious perfection of a 
southern spring morning filled me with delight. Speaking, as we rested, to my 
guide, an Italian peasant, I expressed the pleasure I experienced in this wealth 
of laburnum blossoms and chorus of nightingales. Imagine the rude shock 
to my feelings on his replying briefly that the reason why the laburnum was so 
luxuriant was that its foliage was poisonous, and goats did not eat it; and that 
though no doubt there were plenty of nightingales, there were scarcely any hares 
left. For him, and I daresay for thousands of others, this valley clothed with 
flowers was nothing more than a pasture-ground, and nightingales were merely 
things to be shot. 
This little occurrence, however, seems to me characteristic of the way in which 
the great majority of people look upon the world of plants and animals. To their 
minds animals are game, trees are timber and fire-wood, herbs are vegetables (in 
the limited sense), or perhaps medicine or provender for domestic animals, whilst 
flowers are pretty for decoration. Turn in what direction I would, in every 
country where I have travelled for botanical purposes, the questions asked by the 
inhabitants were always the same. Everywhere I had to explain whether the 
plants I sought and gathered were poisonous or not; whether they were efficacious 
as cures for this or that illness; and by what signs the medicinal or otherwise 
Vou. I. 1 
