60 THE SECOND BOOK OF BOTANY. 



arrange, or group, them in a systematic way. This 

 is classification. 



You have been doing something of the kind ever 

 since you commenced observing plants. For in- 

 stance, those with parallel-veined leaves have been 

 classed by themselves, and those with flowers in um- 

 bels have been associated together, and kept distinct 

 from such as blossom in heads or in panicles; but 

 your groupings have thus far been made upon single 

 features of plants, as was inevitable in the beginning 

 of study. You are now prepared to gi-asp at once in 

 thought more parts of structure, and make your com- 

 parisons more full and complete. 



If, for example, you have put into one group all 

 square-stemmed plants, simply because they have 

 square stems, it is time to consider whether these 

 plants are alike in other features. " Oh, yes," some 

 of you will say, " they have opposite leaves." Well, 

 look at their inflorescence ; do they all agree in that ? 

 Is it always axillary ? Are the flowers similar in all 

 the square-stemmed plants you know ? When you 

 have answered these questions, you will understand 

 what I mean by studying plants as wholes. 



And now, how shall you set to work ? 



First, provide yourself with the following plants : 

 The buttercup (which is found almost everywhere), 

 the wild-columbine, and the poppy. If the columbine 

 is not to be found, get monk's-hood, or larkspur, or 

 anemone, and proceed with them in the way pointed 

 out for the columbine. If the poppy cannot be 

 found, you might substitute blood-root, or celandine. 

 Having got the plants, proceed according to the plan 

 laid down, and do not accept the statements or con- 



