EXPERIMENTAL BOTANY 



I. PRELIMINARY EXPERIMENTS 



What is an Experiment ? 



AT the outset it may be well to consider what an experi- 

 ment is. An experiment is often called a question asked 

 of nature ; really it is a trial or test, made to learn some fact 

 of nature. For example, it is desired to know whether some 

 particular substance will burn or will dissolve. 



To make the experiments it is necessary to have certain 

 accessory things called apparatus. In the first case, a 

 match or lighted candle would be the apparatus. In the 

 second case, the apparatus would be water or some other 

 liquid, a funnel, filter paper, and an evaporating dish. 



The result of trying to ignite the substance or of shaking 

 it in the liquid will be nature's answer to the questions we 

 have put to her, and thus the conclusion or interpretation 

 follows; that is, this substance is or is not inflammable or 

 it is or is not soluble. In recording an experiment let the 

 following order be observed : 



(1) Object. A statement of what is to be found out. 



(2) Apparatus. Names of articles used in making the 

 experiment and drawings of them where possible. 



(3) Method and Results. A full statement of what was 

 done step by step, with result of each step. 



(4) Conclusion. The interpretation of the results. 



9 



