CHAPTER IL 



THE BOOT. 



1. PLANTS in their perfect form consist of four pr'ncl 

 pal parts, the Root, Stem, Leaf, and Flower. It is true 

 that the stem and flower are parts, or remnants, or altered 

 states, of the leaves ; and that, speaking with close accu- 

 racy, we might say, a perfect plant consists of leaf and 

 root. But the division into these four parts is best for 

 practical purposes, and it will be desirable to note a few 

 general facts about each, before endeavouring to describe 

 any one kind of plant. Only, because the character of 

 the stem depends on the nature of the leaf and flower, 

 we must put it last in order of examination ; and trace the 

 development of the plant first in root and leaf ; then in 

 the flower and its fruit ; and lastly in the stem. 



2. First, then, the Root. 



Every plant is divided, as I just said, in the main, into 

 two parts, and these have opposite natures. One part 

 seeks the light ; the other hates it. One part feeds on the 

 air ; the other on the dust. 



The part that loves the light is called the Leaf. It is 

 an old Saxon word ; I cannot get at its origin. The part 

 that hates the light is called the Root, 



