TRANSFERENCE OF SYSTEM TO THE GROUND. 249 



right and left of it the two orders in main affinity, while 

 two in weaker affinity are placed over and under it at 

 ri^ht angles. We have thus a star, composed of a nucleus 

 and four rays, and it is probable that it would be easy, 

 in some cases, to midtiply the rays considerably. Some- 

 thing of this kind ought to be adopted on the ground ; 

 but it is not difficult to perceive that the stellar arrange- 

 ment, if attempted to be strictly carried out in practice, 

 would lead to great complication of figure, and, from the 

 interlacing of affinities, might produce inextricable con- 

 fusion. The orders, then, must be formed into minor 

 groups or masses of vaiying fomi and size, according 

 to their extent, — some genera will require a considerable 

 group for themselves, — and these subordinate members 

 must be combined and co-ordinated in confonnity Avith 

 the principles of the alliance of which they form parts. 

 Only the main relations can be taken into accomit ; and 

 the combination should approach that of a map, accord- 

 ing to the old illustration, suggested, we beheve, by 

 Linnseus himself. Let the reader take a coloured map of 

 England, and select one of the midland coimties — such 

 as Leicestershire, — he will find six other counties conter- 

 minous with it, and boundiag it by fi'ontier lines of 

 varying form and length. Nothing can afford a better 

 image of an order or alliance of orders, in the Natural 

 System, as represented on the gi'ound. Of course, when 

 planted, the boundaries of the respective genera or orders 

 must not be in actual contact. They should be sepa- 

 rated, not by a dotted line as in maps, not by a narrow 

 grass verge as in some gardens, but by lawns of a suffi- 

 cient breadth to allow the distinctive characters of the 

 groups to be perceptible. The distance or proximity of 

 the groups — in other words, the breadths of the lawns — 



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