4 1 j\ TR 01) U CT IO.V. 



According to the Linnsean system the vegetable 

 kingdom is divided into CLASSES, ORDERS, GENERA, 

 and SPECIES. 



IV. General Definitions cft/ie Linncean System. 



NATURAL HISTORY is the science of animals, vege- 

 tables and minerals. Seep. 1. 



BOTANY is that branch of natural history that gives 

 MS a knowledge of the vegetable kingdom. See p. 1. 



DIVISIONS OF THE VEGETABLE KINGDOM. 



I. Artificial Divisions. 



1. CLASSES are the first great divisions of the vege- 

 table kingdom, founded upon the number, situation, 

 proportion, &c. of the stamens. 



2. ORDERS are divisions of the classes, founded up- 

 on the number, situation, &c. of the stamens and pis- 

 tils ;* principally upon the pistils. 



II. Natural Divisions. 



3. GENERA are divisions of the orders into families, 

 (genera) not founded particularly upon the stamens and 

 pistils, but upon the natural resmblance the individuals 

 of a family (genus) bear to each other. Examples, 

 U The family of Roses (Rosa.') 2. 1 he family of Vi- 

 olets (Viola.') 3. The Lilies (Zi/imn.) 



There is always found in thejlawtir and/nn (frucii- 

 ficatio) a mark or character common to all the individ- 

 uals constituting a genus. This is called the Generic 

 Character. Ex. 1. In the family of Buttercups (Ra- 

 nunculus) it is a scale at the base of each flower-leaf 

 (pdalS) 2. In the Lilies it is a longitudinal groove in 

 each of the petals. 



4. SPECIES, (species') are the individuals of which a 

 genus consists : and of course are divisions of the 

 genera. Ex. 1. The red and white liose are two species 



* Parts of the flower to be hereafter defined. 



