276 Notice of a Flora of North America. 



seem extraordinary, that this undertaking, which has attracted 

 so much attention amongst European naturahsts, should have 

 excited so httle comparative interest amongst those of our own 

 country, for whom it is more especially designed. We are not 

 inclined to ascribe this indifference to any contempt for the 

 branch of natural science of which it treats, since botany is 

 very extensively taught amongst us, and forms, indeed, part of 

 the regular course of instruction in most of our high schools and 

 colleges ; but we are persuaded, that the low standard adopted 

 by our professors, has induced the prevalent opinion that it is of 

 very subordinate importance. Indeed, if we were to judge from 

 the manner in which it is commonly taught, it might be doubted 

 whether our actual knowledge of this eminently progressive 

 science has materially increased within the last ten or twenty 

 years. A few general principles, with an exemplification of the 

 classes and orders of the artificial system of Linnaeus, by means 

 of which the Latin names of plants may be obtained without 

 difficulty, is the usual amount of botany taught in our semina- 

 ries, and it is not surprising that the community should lightly 

 estimate the value of the acquisition. Vegetable physiology ^ 

 connected with an actual, practical knowledge of the natural 

 affinities of plants, with their respective qualities and value to 

 mankind, is scarcely, as yet, beginning to be taught to the youth 

 of our country, nor can we hope to see botany elevated to its 

 due rank, amongst us, until its professors direct the attention of 

 their classes to the philosophy of the science, rather than to tech- 

 nical rules, and long catalogues of unmeaning names. For this 

 purpose, many of the manuals, local floras, and popular treatises, 

 in common use, are utterly insufficient ; and we require the intro- 

 duction of simple, yet philosophical, text-books, adapted for the 

 American student. 



Botany is the only science in which, as taught with us, little 

 information beyond the mere names of things, is sought to be 

 conveyed, and hence it arises, that a sound physiological work, 

 such as that before us, being in advance of the general standard 

 of our country, is, in some measure, a sealed book, even to those 

 who have studied botany after the manner in which it is usually 

 taught. The few who can estimate the labors of Drs. Torrey 

 and Gray, are, doubtless, in possession of their valuable Flora, 

 so far as published ; and we feel confident, that it will gradually 



I 



