viii PREFACE. 



the female flower is a naked ovule without an ovary ; the 

 embryo has a long, persistent suspensor. Their wood and 

 bark are nearly identical in structure. Their leaves re- 

 semble those of the Fern, Club-Moss, or Palm. No type 

 of plants is more distinctly individualized. In these Les- 

 sons they are accordingly separated into a distinct class, 

 and placed immediately after the Cryptogams. Next fol- 

 low the Angiosperms, divided into two sub-classes, Mono- 

 cotyledons and Dicotyledons (see Frontispiece, facing Title- 

 Page). This is the only departure from the method of 

 Jussieu; and the author is confident that if Jussieu had 

 lived to learn the lesson of the fossils as well as other late 

 discoveries in science, he would have been first to advocate 

 an arrangement which is so logical because it is so natural. 



The Manual which forms the second part of this volume 

 is only an outline, for a mere catalogue of the 150,000 or 

 more species of known plants would fill a quarto ; but it is 

 a complete outline. It should be consulted with every 

 Lesson, and living specimens of the plants mentioned 

 should be examined whenever they can be obtained. 



The use of the microscope cannot be too strongly urged. 

 Without it no part of the plant can be successfully studied ; 

 and good compound instruments small enough to be put in 

 the pocket can be bought at rates ranging from three to 

 five dollars. 



