92 NATURAL ORDERS 



Observation. 1. If the whole vegetable kingdom was in this way 

 distributed into definite natural tribes or classes, the study of 

 botany on such a plan would be easy and satisfactory, and an ar- 

 tificial system would hardly be needed. 



2. It was atone time a desideratum with Naturalists to dicover 

 a perfect and complete natural method. Although they have read- 

 ily done it to a certain extent, yet on account of the difficulties al- 

 ready mentioned above, No, 1 & 2, the natural orders are still in 

 some measure incomplete, and a number of plants remain unasso- 

 ciated. 



3. The Linnsean order, Polygynia, in Class Icosandria, to which 

 belong the Rose, Raspberry, Strawberry, and Cmquefoil, affords one 

 of the most perfect examples possible, of a natural assemblage, of 

 which all the genera are natural^ and so well distinguished in hab- 

 it, that any person, at all observant of plants, ma) know them by 

 their foliage, inflorescence or general appearance, while their fruit 

 affords clear essential generic characters. The natural family of 

 Orchidae come very near the same point of perfection, but their 

 differences of habit are less obvious. Such instances ought to 

 stimulate the philosophical Kotonist " to go on from one degree of 

 perfection to another," though, like the Christian moralist, he 

 cannot hope to reach the summit. Smith. 



4. It is impossible for a person to form a proper conception of 

 natural orders until he is acquainted with a number of genera, so 

 that lie can bring together their characters and compare them at 

 once in his own mind. 



The student of Natural History, who gets introduced to the veg- 

 etable kingdom by Linnaeus's artificial system, and prosecutes the 

 subject from the book of nature, will, independently of any system 

 of natural orders of Linnaeus, of Jussieu, or any one else, observe 

 Nature's method, will observe the family affinities of the several 

 plants he becomes acquainted with, thus forming- a sort of natural 

 system in his own mind. 



Linnaeus called his scheme of Natural Orders, Frag- 

 ments of a Natural Method. The Natural Orders of 

 Jussieu are said to be an improvement on those of 

 Linnaeus. Those of Linnseus are subjoined, as they are 

 more connected with his artificial system. 



Linnaeus expresses an opinion, that plants which are 

 allied by botanical affinities, possess similar medicinal 

 properties. The sensible qualities^ as taste and scent, 

 must however be regarded. 



