Linnean System of Plants. 359 
chrysanthemum, xeranthemum, sunflower, dahlia, asters, 
French marigold, &c. 
The twentieth class, Gyndndria, has the stamens proceed- 
ing from the germen or the style. The flowers of this class 
have a peculiar construction, not to be hastily explained ; and 
the young botanist will do well to make himself practically 
acquainted with the less difficult classes, before he attempts 
the study of this, or the twenty-fourth class, Cry ‘yptogamia. 
It contains many beautiful genera, among which the O’rchis 
tribe are conspicuous. The roots of several species of O'rchis, 
dried and ground, form the powder called salep (as it is sup- 
posed, from the original Arabic, sahhleb). 
The twenty-first class, Mone’cia, comprehends such plants 
as have their stamens and pistils in different flowers on the 
same plant. The name signifies one house ; the plant being 
so considered, we may suppose the flowers to be the rooms in 
which its unsocial inhabitants lodge. In the first order, Mon- 
andria, we find the bread-fruit tree, Artocaérpus (of which 
word the English name is a translation), so well known for 
its large bread-like fruit, forming the chief sustenance of thou- 
sands of human beings in the Indies and South Sea islands ; 
and the curious genus Luphorbia, of which many of the 
species grow in the most grotesque and fantastic forms. They 
abound in an acrid, milky juice, which is applied to various 
purposes ; that of Z. helioscopia, a British species, is used for 
the cure of warts; whence the plant is familiarly termed wart- 
wort. In the third order, 7yidndria, stands the Indian corn, 
of which Mr. Cobbett has latterly been so zealous to promote 
the cultivation in this country ; and the sedge, many species 
of which are employed for tyimg up vines, making chair bot- 
toms, weaving over Florence flasks to protect the glass, &c. 
The fourth order contains some valuable trees and evergreen 
shrubs, as the alder, mulberry, box, aucuba, &c. In this 
good company we find the nettle, which has its leaves covered 
with tubular bristles, each furnished with a bag of poison at 
its base, of which most of us have experienced the powers. 
Yet the plant has its uses: cloth, ropes, and paper may be 
made from the stalks, and the young shoots are frequently 
eaten as greens. Some insects, as mischievous as themselves, 
may sometimes feed upon the fresh leaves ; but they also afford 
food to some of our loveliest butterflies. ‘The genus Amarantus 
is in the order Pentdndria. In the sixth order, Hexdndria, 
is the cocoa-nut tree, one of many fine palms distributed 
in this and the two following classes. It furnishes to the In- 
dians almost every necessary of life: every part of it has its 
uses. A house to live in, furniture, clothing, and food, are 
