VI. ORDER. CRUCIFORM FAMILY. 



" There spring the living herbs, profusely wild, 

 O'er all the deep green earth, beyond the power, 

 Of botanists, to number up their tribes." THOMPSON. 



Though Botanists cannot yet "number up the 

 tribes" of plants, spread over the wide world: you will 

 see, as you proceed, how beautifully every plant of 

 our own Island, is distinguished and classed, so as to 

 make it an easy task to us to " number up their 

 Tribes." And you will also see, what careful, and 

 close examination are necessary, for classing plants 

 correctly, where many are so very similar as they are, 

 in this Order: and how impossible it would be to 

 find out the name of any species, if they were not 

 thus divided and subdivided. Though not nearly so 

 attractive in appearance, and poetical associations, 

 (with the exception of the much -prized Wallflower) 

 as the Orders we have already examined; we shall 

 find it highly interesting. Gather some Wall-flowers, 

 Stocks, Cabbage, or Cuckoo flowers (PI. II. 2 W. 5. 

 and 7. p. &c.) ; and examine them as we read the 

 character of the Order. Its name, " Cruciform" 



