8 THE GEOGRAPHY OF PLANTS. 



to trace the origin of plants to what is called 

 "spontaneous or equivocal generation;" but, 

 in -spite of the 'vain effort to disavow and get 

 rid of the Idea of an all-wise and supreme 

 Creator^ -there are multitudes of facts directly 

 c-p^osed i;c such iriews, which clearly exhibit the 

 wonderful provision God has made in the vege- 

 table creation for the wants, comforts, and 

 enjoyments of our race, in so vast a variety of 

 ways, that the Christian naturalist delights 

 to trace the works of his heavenly Fathers 

 hand, to see his mercy and his goodness thus 

 displayed to all his intelligent creatures, and to 

 praise him for his goodness to the children of 

 men. 



It is not our purpose to enter into the general 

 subject of botany, but to take up one of the 

 branches of the science, which affords large 

 scope for very interesting inquiries. The 

 science may be considered as consisting of 

 three principal sub-divisions or branches. 



I. PHYSIOLOGICAL BOTANY. This comprises 

 investigations into the structure and organs of 

 plants, (Vegetable Anatomy,) and their functions 

 and uses, (Vegetable Physiology.) It forms a 

 very interesting and instructive study. 



II. SYSTEMATIC BOTANY ; or, CLASSIFICATION. 

 The number of plants hitherto discovered on 

 the surface of the globe is so immense, that 

 without some kind of classification or arrange- 

 ment, they would present an inextricable mass 

 of confusion. Various methods have been pro- 

 posed, two only of which have stood the test of 



