Photo by] 



FIG. 1. JESSAMINE (Jasminum offlcinale). 



[R. Step. 



INTRODUCTION 



OUR delightful poet 

 Cowley, in one of the 

 choicest of his essays, 

 tells of the desire he always 

 had to be "master of a 

 small house and garden, 

 with very moderate con- 

 veniences joined to them," 

 in order that he might dedi- 

 cate the remainder of his 

 life " only to the culture of 

 them and the study of 

 Nature." 



We can all understand 

 this satisfaction and delight 

 in Nature ; yet many, per- 

 haps, while confessing to 

 a sincere admiration for all 

 that is beautiful, would 

 shrink from the study of 

 Botany, and look upon it, 

 maybe, as a dull science, 

 occupied only with desicca- 

 tions and dissections, and 

 the endless acquisition of 

 names. To such persons a 

 1 



Photo by] 



[E. Step. 



FIQ. 2. DOG-ROSE (Rosa canina). 



A typical representative of a great 

 most important of our fruit trees, as 



amily which provides us with the 

 well as some of our finest flowers. 



