CRYPTOGAMIA. 3 



thing in their structure to warrant such a collocation ? So far is 

 this from being the case, that, were the latter to grow habitually 

 under water, they would probably be considered as the members 

 of another order, viz. that of the Algae ; yet all Algae are not 

 aquatic, nor, were it so, has the habitat ever professedly been al- 

 lowed to influence our decision relative to affinities. Nor will 

 the uninitiated believe that arrangement a natural one, which 

 unites under one head the sea-tangle with its woody stem and 

 fibrous frond, and the green scum which floats on the surface of 

 stagnant fresh water, rootless, stemless, leafless, and scarcely 

 organized. 



I offer these remarks, not because I disapprove of our present 

 systems that would be presumptuous in one who has none bet- 

 ter to propose, but because they are invented and adopted by 

 authors who avowedly disdain the aid of artificial methods, and 

 sneer contemptuously at their followers as the bigoted idolaters 

 of LINNAEUS, and less than wise ! The local florist is too humble 

 a character to be the object of these sneers ; and regardless of a 

 censure which there is no danger of encountering, I would gladly 

 avail myself of any method in arranging this work, had it the sole 

 recommendation of conducting the student easily to the names of 

 the objects sought after, and that in preference to any natural 

 system, if the latter were the more difficult of the two. No one 

 will ever study with success or zeal the relations of objects until 

 he knows something of their structure and qualities ; and that 

 method which communicates most easily the competent degree 

 of knowledge for the purpose, is, in my opinion, the most proper 

 for the beginner. 



The Cryptogamous plants described in this volume may be 

 arranged in the following orders. 



A. NON-AQUATIC. 



* Structure vascular. 



(A transverse section of the stem exhibits longitudinal tubes or vessels 

 collected into bundles: in habit, the plants somewhat resemble 

 Phanogamous /lowers: after being dried they will not revive by 

 immersion in water. ) 



I. EQUISETACE^E. Stem jointed, tubular; joints sheathed; 

 branches whorled, leafless. 



A 2 



