212 ‘ SCIENCE OF THE STUDY OF TREES. PART IlI- 
of trees and shrubs, or of any description of natural object arranged in this 
way, however much the names of the objects may in future be changed, the 
descriptions of the objects will always be found associated together in the 
same group, or in groups nearly adjoining. Hence, also, when a plant is 
received, the name of which is unknown, its nature may be anticipated, by 
observing its resemblance to some group already known. . 
It is a common opinion among those who know little of scientific botany, 
that the natural system is only adapted to those who intend to become pro- 
found in the science; and that for practical men, and for amateurs, who 
merely aspire to a slight degree of knowledge, the Linnzan system is the 
best. There never was a greater mistake. To become master of the na- 
tural system requires, indeed, much study and perseverance ; but the posses- 
sion of such a degree of knowledge of it as shall be of far greater use to 
the cultivator, to the medical man, to the traveller, and to the amateur, 
than the most profound knowledge of the Linnzan system, may be easily 
acquired by any person of ordinary capacity. In fact, every child who is in 
the habit of seeing a great many trees, shrubs, and plants, though he does 
not know a single botanical name, may be said to understand, to a certain 
extent, the natural system; because, to preserve order in his ideas, and to 
assist his memory, he is obliged to throw all the conspicuous plants that 
come before him into groups palpably distinct. He would thus form the 
three grand classes of trees, shrubs, and herbaceous plants; and among the 
trees he would readily distinguish, and group together in his mind, the broad- 
leaved and the fir-leaved, the deciduous and the evergreen, the fruit-bearing 
and the barren. Among herbaceous plants, he would distinguish the grasses 
as an obviously distinct class; the bulbous flowers as another, and so on. 
These divisions, so far as they go, are made on the same principles as the 
natural system ; that is, things are brought together, or called by one com- 
mon name, on account of their general resemblance; that general resem- 
blance comprehending the whole botanical science of the individuals drawing 
the distinction. All the difference, therefore, between the natural system 
of the most learned botanist, and that of the most ignorant country labourer, 
consists in the former having gone more profoundly into the subject; and 
having his knowledge founded on principles deduced from the facts accumu- 
lated by his predecessors, and not merely on personal experience. In short, 
all sciences not purely abstract are founded on some simple instinct of our 
nature, which is perceptible in the customs, not only of ignorant persons 
in civilised society, but of the rudest savages. 
We shall not longer occupy our time in contrasting the advantages of a 
natural arrangement in describing trees and shrubs, either with an alphabeti- 
cal one, or with the system of Linnzus, or any other artificial system. 
Sect. II. Of the Distinction between Species and Varieties in Trees 
and Shrubs. 
Tuts is an intricate subject ; and it is one which we are well aware we shall 
not be able to treat in a manner that will be satisfactory to all our readers. 
The reason of this is to be found in the difficulty of determining what are 
species, or natural and permanent forms ; and what forms are accidental, or 
the result of culture, soil, situation, disease, &c., or of cross fecundation; 
and because the present disposition of botanists seems to be to multiply spe- 
cies rather than to diminish their number. 
When we look into a modern catalogue of piants, we are astonished, and 
almost confounded, by the great number of specific names which are ranked 
under one generic name. If we endeavour, by inspecting the names more 
articularly, to discover any relationship between them, we are utterly at a 
oss. One name is, perhaps, an adjective denoting colour, or some other 
property belonging to the plant , another indicates ‘the native country of the 
species; and a third shows that it has been named in commemoration of 
