A WORD TO THE STUDENT. 



Remember that the study of Botany is primarily the study of 

 plants, and not the study of books about plants. If you study 

 the book only, you will almost certainly find it dry and unprofit- 

 able ; but if you use it as a guide to the study of plants, and 

 study \X. plant in hand, verifying its descriptions by observations 

 of your own, you will find the work not only profitable, but 

 intensely interesting. To guide you in the observation and 

 study of plants, practical exercises are added at the end of 

 each chapter. It is hoped you will give to these a due share of 

 your attention. 



At the beginning of your study provide yourself with a suit- 

 able simple microscope. If economy is a consideration, you 

 may cheaply obtain a double convex lens of about one inch 

 focus, simply mounted in ebonite or brass, that will answer the 

 purpose well, for it may either be used as a hand magnifier or it 

 may easily be arranged to slide up or down on a piece of steel 

 wire fastened upright in a block of wood, so that both hands 

 may be left free for the dissection of small flowers or other 

 structures, or for the tearing apart of tissues. Make habitual 

 use of the lens during the course of your studies. 



