ON CLASSIFICATION OF PLANTS. 261 



twenty-two genera: you must therefore examine the 

 characters of each genus, and you will soon find out those 

 which correspond with the myrtle. 



Emily. This method, certainly, must be much more 

 complicated than the other. 



Mrs. B. It may appear so to a beginner ; but you 

 would soon become used to it: and I assure you that it 

 is a very convenient mode of discovering the names of 

 plants ; at least, of those which do not belong to a class 

 containing a very great number of genera ; such, for in- 

 stance, as those ofPentandria and Syngenesia, which con- 

 tain from four to five hundred each. But, even in these 

 cases, practice and habit soon render familiar a system 

 which at first sight appears perplexing and difficult. 



Emily. How often have I made that observation ! 

 When I first began learning the piano-forte, I shall never 

 forget the difficulty I had to distinguish the different 

 notes ; whilst now I play without ever thinking of them. 

 But, Mrs. B., the system of Linnaeus rests almost entire- 

 ly on the number of the different organs of plants ; and 

 we have observed more than once, that number is a char- 

 acter which can be little relied on in botany. Yesterday 

 we mentioned the irregular number of petals of the Syrin- 

 ga ; and this morning I observed a plant of rue which 

 bore in the same cluster flowers, some of which had eight, 

 and others ten stamens. Does it belong to the eighth or 

 the tenth class ? I am sure I deserve to know, were it 

 only to make up for the disagreeable smell I had to en- 

 counter in examining it. 



Mrs. B. In cases of this sort, botanists have agreed 

 to class the plant according to the first flower which 

 blows in the cluster ; and, following this rule, the rue be- 

 longs to the tenth class. But what is still more embar- 

 rassing is, that the number of stamens often vary in an ir- 

 regular manner. Thus you may meet with tulips, and 

 several other plants, bearing indifferently five, six, seven, 

 or eight stamens. In this case you must class them ac- 

 cording to the number most usually found. 



1414. How does this system appear to the youne student in Botany 1 

 1415. What will practice and habit, in its use do! 1416. What 

 does Emily say of a plant of rue, and what question does she propose to 

 Mrs. B! 1417. How is it answered! 1418. What is said of tu- 

 lips and some other plants explanatory of this subject! 



