BOTANY. 207 



cal increase of the plant is almost without end. Each 

 circle of leaves is independent of its predecessor, and 

 has its own cluster of vessels, so that there is no 

 aggregation of woody circles. 



Foxglove. 



The English word foxglove, comes from digitalis 

 Fuchsius, from the resemblance of the flowers to the 

 finger of a glove ; and Fuchsius, the name of a Ger- 

 man, who first applied the name to the plant. 



Lichens. 



In the progress of nature, lichens first cover the 

 exposed surface of a rock, and by the retention of 

 moisture, accelerate its decomposition. The mosses 

 next establish themselves in hollows and crevices, 

 and by degrees prepare a soil for staminiferous vege- 

 tables ; these last endeavour to banish their predeces- 

 sors to the still more barren districts.. The reindeer 

 moss, or lichen, unlike other plants, is in full growth 

 during the winter season. 



The Rose. 



The genus rosa found in Europe, has reached us from 

 the East Indies, China, and Japan. The middle parts 

 of the Russian empire, and the districts around Cau- 

 casus and Persia are full of roses, of which these of 

 the western are mere varieties. Roses are rare in Af- 

 rica, where they are met with only in the northern 

 tracts ; while Europe, from the Uralian mountains to 

 the coast of Portugal, abounds with them. The roses 

 of America have reached that continent through the 

 polar lands. There are no roses in Australasia, nor 

 have any species been met with in South America ; 

 indeed, they scarcely occur any where south of the 

 equator. 



