52 OF PLANTS. 



is, really, Common Hair Grass. Thus, if I understand 

 the language of botany, I can find, in a few minutes, by 

 means of these divisions and subdivisions, what I should 

 otherwise have to read a volume through to find. 



Besides, when I have studied one plant of a family and 

 know all about it, I find I thereby already know a good 

 deal about every other plant of the same family. 



167. It will be useful to the farmer to know the names 

 of some of the natural families to which the more impor 

 tant cultivated plants belong. 



All the kinds of pea, bean, tare, vetch, clover, lucerne, 

 &c., with flowers more or less resembling a butterfly, 

 (papilionaceous,) belong to the Pulse Family, pod-bearing 

 or leguminous vegetables. The seeds of all these are 

 nutritious to man, and, with their leaves and stems, are of 

 great value to the domestic animals. 



168. The cabbage, turnip, radish, mustard, pepper- 

 grass, water-cress, charlock, &c., belong to the Cress or 

 Cruciferous, (cross-bearing,) Family, so called because 

 their flower-leaves form a cross. To the same belong 

 many plants cultivated for the beauty of their flowers, 

 stock, wall-flower, rocket, sweet alyssum, candy tuft, &c. 



169. Flax belongs to the Flax Family, valuable in the 

 arts. 



170. The roses, peaches, apricots, plums, cherries, haw 

 thorns, apples, pears, quinces, as well as brambles, straw 

 berries and many other plants, with flowers which are like 

 a little rose, belong to the Rose Family. The fruits of all 

 these plants are wholesome ; many of them, very delicious. 



171. Cucumbers, squashes, pumpkins, and melons be 

 long to the Gourd Family, with some exceptions, an inno 

 cent and valuable family. 



