BOTANY. 



THAT branch of natural history which relates to vegetables has 

 been called BOTANY, from botane, a plant or herb ; and PHYTOLO- 

 GY. from phylon, a plant, and logos, a discourse. It treats of their 

 structure and functions, the systematical arrangement and denomi- 

 nation of their several kinds, and their peculiar properties and uses. 



Were all the known objects diffused over the surface of this earth 

 submitted to the examination of a certain number of individuals ac- 

 customed to nice and patient investigation, but altogether ignorant 

 of any arrangement hitherto proposed, there can be but little doubt 

 that the same classification would be adopted by all ; and that the 

 objects would be divided into three grand assemblages, namely, 

 minerals, plants, and animals; such being, in fact,' for the purposes of 

 description, at least, the most convenient distribution that could be 

 adopted. Thus there is no difficulty in distinguishing this mineral 

 body from that plant, or this plant from a horse, an elephant, or 

 any other quadruped. Yet, when we come to examine the con- 

 lines of these several kingdoms of nature, we find that so nice are 

 the shades and gradations, and so gradual the transitions from one 

 class of bodies to the other, that objects frequently present them- 

 selves, to which it would be difficult to assign their proper compart- 

 ment. 



However striking, therefore, the distinctions between animal and 

 vegetable life, in their more perfect and elaborate forms, as we ap- 

 proach the contiguous extremities of the two kingdoms, we find 

 these distinctions fading away so gradually, 



Shade unperceived, so softening into shade, 



and the mutual advances so close and intimate, that it becomes a 

 task of no common difficulty to draw a line of distinction between 

 them, and determine to which of them an individual may belong. 



The structure of vegetables is truly wonderful, and demands our 

 admiring attention. How excellently adapted are the roots for 

 taking hold of their parent earth, as well as for drawing nourish- 

 ment for the support of the plant, and imbibing moisture from the 

 neighboring soil! How commodiously are the various tubes and 

 fibres composing the trunk or stalk arranged for the motion of the 

 sap upwards, to all the extremities of the leaves and branches! 

 How nicely are the leaves formed for the important services they 

 are made to yield in the economy of vegetation ! What an excel- 

 lent clothing does the bark afford, not only for protecting the stem 

 and branches from external injury, but from the hurtful extremes of 



