MANUAL OF BOTANY. 



INTRODUCTORY RE:MARKS. 



^ATUEAX HisTOfiY, as a science, has for its object the investiga- 

 tion of everything that relates to the bodies placed on the surface 

 of the globe ; or combined so as to form its substance. These 

 various substances have been, both by the common observer and 

 scientific investigator, arranged in three great divisions ; called, 

 respectively, the Animal, Vegetable, and Mineral kingdoms. The 

 bodies comprised in the two former, being possessed of life, form 

 the Organic or Animate creation ; while those of the latter, not 

 being endowed with life, form the Inanimate or Inorganic crea- 

 tion. It is our province in this work to treat of the lower ranks 

 of the organic creation, called Plants or Vegetables. The science 

 which investigates these is termed Eotany, from the Greek word 

 fiorduT], signi^nng an herb or grass. 



DEPAETiiEXTS OF BoTANT. — This scieuce in its extended sense 

 embraces everything which has reference to plants, either in a 

 living or fossil state. It investigates their nature ; their interna] 

 organization ; their external configuration ; the laws by which 

 they are enabled to grow and propagate themselves ; and their 

 relations to one another, and to the bodies by which they are 

 surrounded. Asa science, therefore, it is of vast extent, and 

 one which requires for its successfxd prosecution the most care- 

 ful and systematic study. It may be divided into the following 

 departments: — 1. Organography ; this includes everything which 

 relates to the internal structure and external con£g\iration of 

 plants, and their various parts or organs ; the portion of the 

 subject treating of the structure of plants is commonly termed 

 Structural Botany ; and that which has reference to their forms, 

 Morphological Botany. 2. Physiological Botany; this treats of 

 plants, and their organs, in a state of life or action. 3. Systematic 



