58 



now PLANTS AUK rKUi'A(iATKD. 



• Skction II. How Propagated by Seeds. 



i6,v PuoPAfJATioN fioni ImkIs is icjilly only tlio divi.sion, as it ^rows, of one 

 plant into two or nion*, or tlu» scpiirntioii of .shoots from a stock. l'ro[)!i^'!i(ion 

 from seed is tlio only ivuo njtrof/iicfioii. In the sot'd an t*n(ir«'ly new individual 

 is fornuMl. So the iSW'd, amd the Fruit, in which tho .seed is prodiicetl, and the 

 Finn')')', which give ri.se to tho frnit, arc the ()r</(tns n/ JirfD'od/irfion (2). 



164. I*]very species at .some period or othei' produces seeds, or .something 

 which answers to .sccmIs. Upon this distinction, namely, whether they hoar 

 true flowers ])roducing genuine seeds, or produce something merely answering 

 to flowers and seeds, is founded tho grand division of all plants into two series 

 of grades, that is, into Pii.ENuoAMOLw or Fi.ijweiu.no Plants, and CuvrTOUAMOus 

 or Floweki.kss Pi.ant.s. 



165. CryptOgamOUS or FlOWerleSS Plants do not bear real flowers, having stamen.s 

 and pistils, nor produce n'u\ seeds, or hodies hji\ing an emhryo ready formed in 

 them. Hut they produce minute juid very simple hodies which answer the purpose 

 of seeds. To distinguish tluMu from true seeds, tla.'V are called Sp<inf<. Ferns, 

 Mosses, Lichens, and Seaweeds, jire all llowerless plants, reproiluced by spores. 



166. PliajnCgamOUS or Flowering Plants are those which do bear flowers and seeds; 

 the seed essentially consisting of an embryo or germ, ready formed within its 

 coats, which has only to grow and unfold itself to become a plant ; as has been 

 fully explained in the first and second sections of Chapter I. 



167. Flowerless ])hints have their organs too minute to be ex; 'ined without 

 much magnifying, and are too difhcult for young beginner.^. Tm. linary or 

 Flowering class of plants will afTord them abundant occupation. ^\ .' are to 

 study first the Flower, then the Fruit and Seed. 



Skctiox hi. — Flowers. 



§ I. y/ic'/r Arranf/eiiit'/if on. the Sfeni. 



168. Inflorescence is the term used by hotanists for tlower-clustors generally, or 

 for the way Idossoms are arranged on the stem. Everything about this is 

 governed by a very .simple rule, which is this : — 



169. Flower-buds appear in the same places that common buds (that is, leaf- 

 buds) do ; and they blossom out in the order of their age, the earliest formed first, 



