4 FOUNDATIONS OF BOTANY 



specimen belongs.^ The identification of the species, after 

 the genus has been reached, presents no difficulty in a little 

 flora like the present one. 



The author does not believe in spending much of the time 

 of a class upon identifying species, but would rather recom- 

 mend comparative studies of as many plants of a group as 

 are accessible, and making these studies thorough enough to 

 bring out fully the idea of the family, the genus, and the 

 species.^ Tlie descriptions in this flora may be used as a 

 check on the cruder ones which the pupil is first to frame for 

 himself. 



1 It Avill greatly simplify matters if the teaclier selects for examination only such 

 species as are here described. 



2 The teacher will find abundant suggestions for such a course in Spalding's 

 Introduction to Botany, pp. 152-2G0. 



