3PKEFACE. IX 



pecially those which are mentioned as examples, when 

 he can obtain them. 



From what little experience I have had in instruct- 

 ing, I cannot recommend to teachers to oblige their 

 pupils to commit any of the following pages formally 

 to memory \ in doing which they are by no means 

 certain to get the ideas. But let them read the whole 

 carefully and obtain a general idea of the various parts 

 of a plant, as the roots, trunks, leaves, and especially 

 of the seven parts of the flower and fruit, without mak- 

 ing any particular effort to fix in the mind and retain 

 all the more particular terms, which is a thing hardly 

 practicable. Let them get some knowledge also of the 

 classes and orders and the characters by which they are 

 distinguished ; and then proceed immediately to exa- 

 mine plants by practical works, agreeably to the meth- 

 od pointed out, p. 86. At the same time genera, species 

 and varieties should be attended to. They should have 

 their elementary work by them, and refer immediately 

 by the index to the explanation of any term in the 

 practical work which they do not understand. 



If the student is anxious to arrive at a knowledge of 

 the classes and orders as immediately as possible, he 

 may commence with Part ILL the fructification, 

 flower and fruit, p. 45. When he has studied this he 

 will be prepared to understand the classes, orders, and 



