85 



ORGANIC STRUCTURE OF DICOTYLE- 

 DONOUS PLANTS. 



HAVING in the foregoing" essays described the 

 elements and the manner of the growth of vege- 

 tables ; noticed their arrangement by Jussieu ; and 

 taken a brief view of a few of the orders, from the 

 most simple to the more complicated and perfect 

 plants ; we have now to notice the constituents and 

 organisation of the superior orders of Dicotyledonece, 

 with a view to the illustration of those expedients 

 of propagation and culture which are practicable only 

 because they depend for success on the physical 

 properties and powers of the plants themselves. 



The members of a dicotyledonous plant are the seed, 

 root, collet, pith, perfect wood, imperfect wood, vital 

 membrane, liber, bark, leaves, armature, flower, and 

 those coverings of the seed called the fruit, with its 

 appendages. 



In describing these different components it will 

 not be possible to avoid reiteration ; many circum- 

 stances before alluded to, or described, must be again 

 mentioned ; but as the writer wishes above all things 

 to make himself clearly understood, periphrasis, he 

 hopes, may be excusable. 



Seeds. Are the oviparous progeny of plants. When 

 naturally produced, that is when art has not inter- 

 fered to change their constitutional properties, they 

 contain the rudiments of a vegetable, capable of 



