HISTORY OF BOTANY. 9" 



conclusion ; still, however, in all the works that were 

 written about this time, there was no kind of system 

 or arrangement the least calculated, to render the study 

 of plants interesting or inviting. 



The consequent inconvenience attending the want of order, began 

 now to be severely felt, and it was soon an object worthy of the 

 most learned, to ascertain and establish the principles of scientific 

 arrangement. 



20. The first person who gave his attention to an 

 artificial arrangement, was the celebrated naturalist, 

 Conrad Gesner, a native of Zurich in Switzerland, who 

 in the middle of the sixteenth century, suggested the 

 method of arranging plants into classes, orders, and 

 genera, according to the peculiar characters of the flower. 



While Gesner was employed in Germany, in maturing his plans of 

 method, the same necessity for methodical arrangement, was also 

 felt and pointed out by Caesalpinus, a native of Arezzo, in Florence, 

 and one of the Professors of the University of Padua ; who, with a 

 mind suitable to the accuracy of such an undertaking, applied him- 

 self to the purpose in view, not only with the best qualifications, 

 but with the happiest issue: what Gesner contemplated only in 

 theory, Ceesalpinus reduced to practice, presenting to the world the 

 first specimen of a methodical arrangement of plants; and reflecting 

 at the same time, a greater degree of light upon the structure and 

 affinity of vegetables, than any preceding botanist. His method, 

 which was exceedingly simple, was founded on the fruit. 



21. In addition to the facility afforded in the study 

 of plants, by the introduction of an artificial arrange- 

 ment, there were also many other great and effective 

 auxiliaries to advance the science of botany, at this 

 period of its history. 



Travels and voyages were undertaken for the purpose of making 

 discoveries; Herbaria of dried plants, formed for preserving the speci- 



