102 BOTANY. 



miniature forests of mosses, displaying such a beauty of form and 

 structure that cannot lail to be admired. As an important branch of 

 mental culture the study of Botany induces ideas of order, arrangement 

 and discrimination, such as can only be found in the natural world. 

 Smith mentions that " in Sweden natural history is the study by which 

 men rise to preferment and there are no people with more acute or better 

 regulated minds than the S^\•edes." The great Liunseus was a Swede who 

 by his own observation discovered the insect whicli destroyed the Swedish 

 government many thousand pounds worth of timber in one year, and that 

 by immersing the timber in water during the season when the ily laid its 

 eggs all its ravages were stopped. We are told also how this gi-eat 

 observer by his botanical knowledge detected the cause of a dreadful 

 disease among the horned cattle of the north of Lapland which had 

 previously been thought irremediable. There are advantages arising to 

 oiurselves from a study of the vegetable kingdom, the gi-eater part of our 

 food, our physic, and our luxuries together with materials afforded for paint- 

 ing, dyeing, and articles of clothing which shew us that it is widely adapted 

 to the uses and pleasures of mankind. The hard names with which plants 

 are surrounded sometimes act as a barrier to a closer acquaintance with 

 the subject, but this fear is partially imfounded, many of our local plants 

 being known by names, familiar as household words, indicating their 

 character in the most homely style. Thus we have Gout- weed, Hearts- 

 ease, Fever-few, All-good, marking a sympathy with disease, which in the 

 days of the old herbalists when much superstition was associated with plants 

 went far to comfort the afflicted in their grief and pain. Then we have 

 names which denote the delicious quality of viands and substantial eatables, 

 viz : — Eoast-beef plant. Lambs-quarters, Fat-hen, Sauce-alone, Ox-tongue, 

 Way-bread, Codlius and cream, and we have terms of endearment and 

 friendship in Forget-me-not, Sweet William, Mari-gold, Herb Eobert. 

 In the collecting and pi-esorving these common names, the compilers of 

 our present English Botany have been specially studious, and we cannot 

 fail to notice that while the terms of modern science waver and shift their 

 meaning these old local names have lasted and are still abiding in their 

 original signification. Some acquaintance with Latin is valuable and 

 necessary in acquiring a knowledge of Botany, and the study of Latin 

 words is highly remunerative with interesting information. The parish of 

 Halifax being much diversified M-ith hills, dales, and moorlands whose 

 elevations and streams give rise to a variety of vegetation is rendered a 



