AMLYTICAL CLASS-BOOK OF BOTANY. 



INTRODUCTORY CHAPTER. 



1. Walking abroad in the fields, we are met on 

 every hand by an inexhaustible variety of plants and 

 flowers, which not only attract our attention, but call 

 forth our affections in a very lively and peculiar manner. 

 Their colors, their forms, their odors, excite the most 

 agreeable sensations. These emotions, however, we have 

 in common not only with the uncultivated of our own 

 species, but also, to some degree, even with the lower 

 animals. The intelligent human BEiNa would look for 

 something within — something deeper, higher and truer, 

 which is only shadowed forth in the external character — 

 that the mind may enter into their life, and imbibe their 

 freshness, their purity and beauty, as its own aliment. 



2. Here close at hand is a little plant— (plate I. fig. 

 1) — a species of Convolvulus — ^which will illustrate for 

 us this necessity. In its tiny form, simple and fragile 

 as it appears, are contained all the wonderful secrets of 

 Vegetable Life. It is a complete Book of Laws, written 

 by the unerring finger of God, in the indelible lines of 

 Truth. The Oak, whose years are numbered by centu- 

 ries — the old Cypress and Baobab, whose full life may 

 only be reckoned by ages, can exhibit nothing whose type 

 is not already found here. It is true that this volume is 

 written in an unknown tongue. But would you become 

 acquainted with its language — ^would you call forth its 

 interior beauties — would you penetrate its divine myste- 

 ries — come with me. Let us take each other by the 

 hand — Teacher and Pupil — and go forth together, side 

 by side, that we may better obey the command of Wis- 

 dom, and " consider the lilies of the field — how they 

 grow.'" 



CHAPTER II. 



BOUNDAKIES DEFINED. 



3. The science of Vegetable Life is called Botany. 

 It unfolds a knowledge of the elementary composition, 



structure, habits, functions and systematic arrangement 

 of plants, and is divided into several departments, all of 

 which will be defined as we proceed. 



4. But in order to study the plant intelligently, we 

 should be able — at least with a considerable degree of 

 precision — to determine ivhat it is — or to distinguish it 

 from other forms. For this purpose you will give your 

 attention to a few simple principles, which will greatly 

 assist us in this matter. 



5. An organ is an instrument of motion, by help of 

 which a living body is able to perform certain actions, 

 that are hence called m-ganic, or vital. The leaves and 

 stems of plants, the hands, feet, and eyes of animals, are 

 such instruments, and therefore organs. Vegetables, 

 then, as well as animals, possess and work with these in- 

 struments ; and for this reason they are called organic, 

 or living beings ; and in the whole course of study this 

 fact must not be lost sight of — that the plant is not only 

 a vitalized structure, but a living being — ^governed by 

 vital laws. 



6. Mineral masses — such as Earths, Stones, and 

 Metallic Ores, have no organs ; but their substance is 

 uniform throughout. They are hence termed Inorganic, 

 and are ranked together in one great class, which is usual- 

 ly denominated the Mineral Kingdom. 



7. A Mineral may be defined as an inorganic mass 

 of matter, endowed with a merely passive existence, and 

 exhibiting none of the attributes or phenomena of life. 



8. Let us refer again to the small Convolvulus, which 

 may be considered as the type of a perfect plant, since it 

 has all the essential organs — ^roots, a stem, leaves and 

 flowers ; and we know that each of these organs performs 

 certain offices, or functions, in its life and growth, which arc 

 essential to its development and preservation. Hence, if 

 any of these should be removed, or greatly injured, the 

 health of the whole plant would be affected, and perhaps its 

 life destroyed. We know that this organism is developed 

 from a seedj and nourished by certain substances which 

 may properly be termed food. We know also that plants 



Subject of tie chapter. What t8 BotaDy ? What does it unfold ? What ne- 

 cesosry to study a plant intelligently ? Define Organ. Instances. Vegetables 



1 



organic — why ? Inorganic bodies — describe. Collectively, what termed ? Do- 

 fine Mineral. What facts of the plant at 8 ? Doflne Plant. Plants collectively 



