116 TRANSACTIONS OF THE AMERICAN INSTITUTE. 



rich loam}' soil, in a sheltered situation, flowering plants may be 

 obtained in six or eight years, in the latitude of New York, if the 

 young plants are treated v/ith some slight winter protection. The 

 Cercis blossoms at about the same time as Laburnum, Guelder 

 Rose (Snow-ball), Hawthorn and Flowering Dogwood {Cornus- 

 Florida), with which its red blossoms contrast beautifully. 



The Study of Botany. 



Mr. Wm. K. Griffin, Fulton, Oswego Co., N. Y. : " This is the 

 season of flowers, and the best time in the year to begin the stud}' 

 of l)otany. Almost anybody, with a fair English education, and a 

 good degree of perseverance, can pursue the study of analytical 

 botany, without the aid of a living teacher. All that is necessary 

 is a suitable text-book. Thirty-five years ago ' Eaton's Manual of 

 Botany ' was in vogue. Undoubtedly, some better work can be 

 found now." 



Mr. Solon Robinson. — The text-book of Botany by Prof. Gray 

 does not till the Avant. It is doubtless a good work for one far 

 advanced in the study. It is a blind guide to new beginners. 



Mr. Griffin says : "When a botanist discovers a wild flower of 

 which he wishes to ascertain the name, he readily determines to 

 what class and order it belongs, by examining those little organs 

 which are found in the center of nearly all blossoms. Then by 

 comparing the other parts of the blossom with the descriptions of 

 genera arrang-ed under the oiven order, he determines to what 



BO o ' 



genus it belongs. He now turns to another part of the book Avhere 

 the genera are arranged in alphabetical order, and here, under the 

 given genus he finds a list of species. Xow, by running the eye 

 down this list and comparing the descriptions there given with the 

 green parts of the plant in hand, the specrfic name is discovered. 

 In this place is also given the English name by which the plant is 

 known. The generic and specific name, together, constitute the 

 expression by which the plant is spoken of among botanists." 



Yes, Sir, this is just what the botanists find easy to do. This 

 is what the new beginner cannot do. It requires years of patient 

 study, careful practice, and the correction of a thiousand mistakes 

 to arrive at this point without a teacher. We do not agree with 

 Mr. Griffin that botany is a science so easily obtained. We do 

 contend that it is one which should be taught in every common 

 school to every farmer's child of respectable intelligence. It 

 should be the statute law of every State that no person should be 



