INTRODUCTION. 3 



" For," as is justly remarked by that elegant poetess, 

 Miss Twamley, " flowers form one of the sweetest lines in the 

 God-written poetry of nature, as one of the universal blessings 

 accessible to all nations, climes, and classes blessings in their 

 own loveliness alone, and in the pleasure ever derivable from 

 the contemplation of loveliness ; but trebly blessing us in the 

 familiar and beautiful power they possess of awakening in our 

 hearts feelings of wonder, admiration, gratitude, and devotion 

 teaching us to look from earth to Him who called it into 

 existence, and to feel how worthy of our unceasing, thankful 

 adoration must be that Being, the meanest of whose creations 

 is so wonderfully and so beautifully adapted to its appointed 

 portion in the vast whole." 



" The smallest flower 



That twinkles through the meadow grass, can 



Form the subject of a lesson; aye, as well 



As the most gorgeous growth of Indian climes. 



For love of nature dwells not in the heart 



Which seeks for things beyond our daily ken 



To bid it glow. It is in common life. 



In objects most familiar, that we find 



Exhaustless matter for our privilege. 



Our glorious privilege of reading God 



Amid his bright creation." 



THE STRUCTURE OF A PLANT. 



A plant or vegetable is a body that lives and grows, but which 

 cannot move at willy and which has no feeling or other sense. 



TREES, shrubs, and herbs, of all kinds are called perfect or 

 flowering plants. The Ferns, Mosses, Sea Weeds, and others, 

 which never bear blossoms, are on that account called imperfect 

 or flowerless plants. The following remarks apply only to the 

 first of these two great classes such as we are accustomed to 

 see in our gardens, fields, and hedge-rows. 



