HIS INTRODUCTION TO HIS "ALTER JSGO." 137 



studied in the country, and scarcely heard of amongst his 

 fellow gardeners ; no matter that existing text-books on it 

 were technical, unpopular, difficult, and costly, and that 

 Botany as far as simple exposition for private students 

 W ent was a sealed book ; no matter that he was dissuaded 

 and mocked by his fellow workmen, and had to pursue the 

 thorny subject practically alone and unaided he began it, 

 and, amidst discouragements that would have daunted most 

 young men, he succeeded. Happily for his after thorough- 

 ness as a botanist, he attacked the subject in its true 

 scientific form from the first. 



With the assistance of a fellow apprentice, who soon 

 chose more flowery paths, he purchased, for half a crown, 

 " Rattray's Botanical Chart." This presented an intricate 

 tabular view of the whole science according to the Linnaean 

 system, being intended as a resume for advanced students. 

 It was a terrible cheval-de-frise of technicalities for a young 

 novice. Though feeling it to be " a sickener," as secretly 

 confessed, and viewing it with wonder and fear but with 

 growing curiosity, he resolutely commenced the study of 

 Botany. For the time being, Rattray was beyond him, but 

 he gained insight into the subject through two simpler text- 

 books he soon after obtained, "Lee's Introduction to 

 Botany " and " Galpin's British Botany." So rapid was his 

 progress, that, although he went to Cluny in November, he 

 had actually deciphered, unaided, his first plant, the Draba 

 verna the common whitlow grass in early spring, 

 flourishing as it does from January to June. But by the 

 time he completed his apprenticeship in two years, he had 

 pretty well mastered Lee and Galpin, and even the formid- 

 able Rattray became intelligible. This book he afterwards 



