LKSSON oO.J now TO STUDY I'KANTS. 181 



iiinj;, the character of the first great series is piven ; then that of 

 tlic first chiss, ol" the lirst siibchiss, ami of llie lirst division under it. 

 Then, after the name of the order, foUows its character (tin; ordinal 

 character) : under the name of each genus (as, 1. Clematis, p. 3;")) 

 is added the (jeneric character, or description of what essentially 

 distinguishes it; and finally, following the name of each species, is 

 the specijic character, a succinct enumeration of tlie points in which 

 it mainly differs from other species of tlie same genus. S<;o, for 

 illustration, Clematis Viurna, p. 36, where tlie sentence immediately 

 following the name is intended to characterize that species from all 

 others like it. 



521. Under this genus, and generally where we have several spe- 

 cies of a genus, the species are arranged under sections, and these 

 often under subsections, for the student's convenience in analysis, — 

 the character or description of a section applying to all the species 

 under it, and therefore not having tp be repeated under each species. 

 Under Clematis, also, are two sections with names, or sub-genera, 

 which indicates that they might almost be regarded as two distinct 

 genera. But these details are best understood by practice, in the 

 actual studying of plants to ascertain their name and place. And to 

 this the student is now ready to proceed. 



LESSON XXX. 



nOAV TO STl'DY PLANTS. 



522. TIavixo explained, in the two preceding Lessons, the gen- 

 eral principles of Classification, and of Botanical Names, we may 

 now show, by a few examples, how the student is to proceed in 

 a|)plying them, and how the name and the place in the system of an 

 unknown plant are to be ascertainecl. 



523. "We suppose the student to be provided with a luuid magni- 

 fi/inf/-r/lnss, and, if possible, with a simple microscope, i. e. with a 

 magnifying-glass, of two or more difrerent powers, mounted on a 

 support, over a stage, holding a glass plate, on which small flowers 

 or their parts may be laid, while they are dissected under the mi- 

 croscope with the points of needles (mounted iu handles), or divided 



16 



