34 SPECIES OF PLANTS. 



all furnish us with their invaluable products. Nor are they less im- 

 portant in protecting us by the buildings we raise with them, or in the 

 conveniencies and luxuries they afford us by the ships we build of 

 them to transport the products of one clime and people to those of 

 another. 



Shrubs and herbs also supply us with every variety of food and use- 

 ful product. There the golden wheat presents its abundant crops, 

 and here the flowing oats and potatoes, the loaded pea, the swelling 

 turnip, beet and carrot, the luxuriant grass and bountiful corn, crown 

 the earth's surface with life and nourishment ; while the universal 

 smiles of variously tinted flowers invite us abroad to view the charms 



and inhale the odors of their fragrant breath All here spread out 



before us the rich bounties and varied delights of vegetable nature. 

 Well may it be said, with all these in view, that In reason's ear 

 they become preachers." 



Differences in the Species of Plants. 



These are known as races, varieties and variations. Where these 

 differences are remarkable, or striking, and are ever continued by the 

 parent to the offspring, through the seed, they are termed races. The 

 polen of one species being strewed on the pistils of another, the seed 

 produces a plant resembling both species, but the race is continued. 

 Varieties are produced by grafting, or by other means than by the seed, 

 and thus they are continued. Variations are slight differences pro- 

 duced by variations in soil, climate, moisture, &c. 



jSnomalies, or deformities, are produced by accidental circumstan- 

 ces ; such as the adhesion of parts ordinarily separate, as with the 

 leaves, flowers and fruits. Some assert that the single petal of many 

 flowers are, in fact, many petals, and that they adhere together before 

 the expansion of the flower, as in the blue bell and stromonium ; and 

 thus with the sepals of monosepalous plants. Peculiarities are like- 

 wise produced by the want of the necessary vigor to mature their 

 parts, as is observed in the different number of seeds in the flowers of 

 the same plant. Of the six acorns of the oak, only one is matured ; 

 and of the six in the horse chestnut but two are perfected. Some or- 

 gans appear incapable of performing their natural function, and thus 

 produce deformities. Buds, unable to develope leaves, form a perma- 

 nent deformity upon the stem, as with the prickly pear, where the 

 branches become thick from imperfectly formed leaves. Excessive 

 nourishment induce the stamens and pistils to swell and become pe- 

 tals, as with all double flowers. Thus poppies naturally have many 

 stamens, but double poppies are often seen without any stamens. 

 This is also common with the rose which has, naturally, five petals, 

 with many stamens and pistils ; but, in full double roses, these are 



