THE 



NATURAL HISTORY OF PLANTS, 



INTRODUCTION. 



THE STUDY OF PLANTS IN ANCIENT AND IN MODERN TIMES. 



Plants considered from the point of view of utility. — Description and classification of plants. — 

 Doctrine of metamorphosis and speculations of nature-philosophy.— Scientific method based on 

 the history of development. — Objects of botanical research at the present day. 



PLANTS CONSIDERED FROM THE POINT OF VIEW OF UTILITY. 



Some years ago I rambled over the mountain district of North Italy in the 

 lovely month of May. In a small sequestered valley, the slopes of which were 

 densely clad with mighty oaks and tall shrubs, I found the flora developed in all 

 its beauty. There, in full bloom, was the laburnum and manna-ash, besides- 

 broom and sweet-brier, and countless smaller shrubs and grasses. From every 

 bush came the song of the nightingale; and the whole glorious perfection of a 

 southern spring morning tilled me with delight. Speaking, as we rested, to my 

 guide, an Italian peasant, I expressed the pleasure I experienced in this wealth 

 of laburnum blossoms and chorus of nightingales. Imagine the rude shock 

 to my feelings on his replying briefly that the reason why the laburnum was so 

 luxuriant was that its foliage was poisonous, and goats did not eat it; and that 

 though no doubt there were plenty of nightingales, there were scarcely any hares 

 left. For him, and I daresay for thousands of others, this valley clothed with 

 flowers was nothing more than a pasture-ground, and nightingales were merely 

 things to be shot. 



This little occurrence, however, seems to me characteristic of the way in which 

 the great majority of people look upon the world of plants and animals. To their 

 minds animals are game, trees are timber and fire- wood, herbs are vegetables (in 

 the limited sense), or perhaps medicine or provender for domestic animals, whilst 

 flowers are pretty for decoration. Turn in what direction I would, in every 

 country where I have travelled for botanical purposes, the questions asked by the 

 inhabitants were always the same. Everywhere I had to explain whether the 

 plants I sought and gathered were poisonous or not; whether they were efficacious 

 as cures for this or that illness; and by what signs the medicinal or otherwise 



VOL. I. 1 



