CONTENTS 



Preface v 



Part One . . . THE NATURE OF THE PLANT WORLD 



1 — Two Patterns of Life 3 



2— The Evolution of the Plant Body ...... 23 



3 — The Evolution of Plant Reproduction .... 49 



4— The Variety of Plant Life 83 



5 — ^The Inter-relations of Plants and Man. . . . 110 



Part Two .... PLANTS AS FOODS AND BEVERAGES 



6 — Plant Manufacture of Food 129 



7— The Origin of Cultivated Plants 142 



8 — Vegetable Foods 154 



9— The Cereal Fruits 167 



10 — Legumes, Berries and Small Fruits 180 



11— The Orchard Fruits 193 



12 — Sugar-producing Plants 216 



13 — Food Accessories and Spices 224 



14 — Beverage Plants 234 



Part Three PLANTS AS SOURCES OF WOOD AND FIBERS 



15— The Plant Skeleton 247 



16 — ^The Gymnosperm Trees 256 



17 — The Angiosperm Trees 279 



18— Wood and Its Uses 311 



19 — Conservation and Management of American 



Forests 331 



20 — Fiber-producing Plants 345 



Part Four. . . PLANT SECRETIONS AND EXCRETIONS 



21 — Latex-producing Plants 359 



22— Drug Plants 370 



23— Industrial Uses of Plants 383 



ix 



