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CONVERSATION THE EIGHTEENTH. 



CLASS 24-. CRYPTOGA'MI A. ORDERS. FERNS. 

 MOSSES ; THEIR VARIOUS USES. Ll'CHENS. REIN- 

 DEER MOSS OR Ll'CHEN. SEA-WEEDS MUSH- 

 ROOMS. 



MOTHER. 



THE plants of the twenty-fourth class, CRYPTO- 

 GAMIA, are so very different from those of all the 

 other classes, that the study of them might be con- 

 sidered as forming a distinct department of botany ; 

 and I do not recommend them to your particular 

 attention, unless hereafter you wish to devote a 

 large portion of your time to this subject. There 

 are several books well calculated to assist your 

 progress, whenever you are disposed to pursue it ; 

 and you will be equally astonished and pleased by 

 the wonderful regularity and minuteness of the 

 parts of these plants, and the beautiful contri- 

 vances of nature for their nourishment and dis- 

 tribution. 



The character of this class consists, as I have 

 already told you, in the plants that compose it 

 Q 3 



