ANALYTICAL CLASS-BOOK OF BOTANY. 



cannot walk about, or move themselves to and fro, at will, 

 but are, for the most part, fixed to the spot where they 

 first grew. Taking these facts for a basis, a Plant may 

 be defined as an organized structure, which ivas derived 

 from a parent, or parents, and exhibits the phenomena 

 of nutrition, growth, reproduction, decay and death. The 

 collective family of plants is called the Vegetable Kingdom. 



9. The Animal. In addition to the above merely 

 vegetative functions, the animal is able to move himself' 

 about with more or less freedom, to feel emotions of plea- 

 sure and pain, and to act according to the dictates of cer- 

 tain impressions which are collectively called Instinct, 

 and are a substitute for that faculty which is termed 

 Reason in the superior intelligence. 



10. An Animal is an organized being, which ivas 

 derived from parents, and exhibits the phenomena of 

 nutrition, growth, reproduction, sensation, voluntary 

 motion, and, intelligence. Animals collectively form 

 the Animal Kingdom. 



11. But though it is very easy to distinguish a rose 

 from a diamond, or a butterfly from either, and to dis- 

 tribute them all into their respective places, yet there 

 are points where the Animal and Vegetable Kingdoms 

 approach each other so nearly, that their absolute 

 boundaries are, as yet, a subject of question. "We will 

 not at present disturb these equivocal positions, but turn 

 to the distinctions between organic and inorganic forms, 

 which are so broad and well defined as to admit of no 

 controversy. 



12. Between Organic and Inorganic forms there are 

 four principal differences. These are, their mode of 

 expansion, their mode of subdivision or multiplication, 

 their outlines, and their periods of duration. 



13. First Distinction. — Minerals expand by accre- 

 tion, or the deposition of particles on the outside. 

 They are merely enlarged. Living bodies are nodmshed 

 BY FOOD, which, acted upon by internal ioices, is finally 

 converted into their own substance. They grow ; and 

 by this power of assimilating foreign substances, the 

 structure is developed and sustained. 



14. Second Distinction. — Animals bring forth 

 young, and plants are produced from seeds, which are 

 young plants in an undeveloped state; but minerals are 

 multiplied only by mechanical subdivision. They 

 never have offspring. 



15. Third Distinction. — Minerals, with the excep- 

 tion of crystals, have no determined proportions or sym- 

 metry of outline. They generally present angular sur- 



what? Btifino Animal. Animals collectively, wbat? Boundaries of the three 

 great Kingdoms. Between Organic and Inorganic bodies, how many points of dif- 



faees, and in their most regular forms are measured by 

 straight lines. Organized -beings have symmetrical 

 forms composed of definite parts, each shape being pro- 

 per to the .species. They are mostly bounded by circular 

 surfaces, and measured by curved lines. 



16. Fourth Distinction. — Minerals have no fixed 

 periods of duration, and their existence is indefinitely 

 prolonged. Organized forms have an average period of 

 life for every species. 



17. An Organized Being may be defined as one 

 ivhich has been unfolded through a principle of life 

 transmitted from its parents, into certain parts, which 

 always maintain definite relations with each other, 

 and with the lohole body. It is nourished by food. 

 It grotvs until it attains to certain proportions, which, 

 for any given species, have nearly a determined volume. 

 It has a lim,ited period of life ; and when its vitality 

 is greatly di-minislied, it dies. But a Mineral exhibits 

 none of these changes. 



18. Between Animal and Vegetable forms the dis- 

 tinctions are not so obvious, nor can they always with 

 certainty be determined. But as only the lowest types 

 are thus confusedly thrown together, ultimate distinctions 

 become of comparatively small consequence. It may be 

 sufficient here to know some of the broader lines of sepa- 

 ration. 



19. First Distinction. — Plants only are nourished by 

 mineral food, and transform this into organic tissues. Ani- 

 mals universally subsist on the aliment thus transformed. 



20. Second Distinction. — Vegetable tissues are 

 composed of only three chemical elements — ■ carbon, 

 hydrogen and oxygen. Animal tissues are composed of 

 four — carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, and nitrogen or azote. 



21. Third Distinction. — In the lowest form of 

 plants we find many species which are composed of a 

 single cell, without any other organization whatever ; 

 but even in their lowest condition, animals exhibit a far 

 higher degree of complexity than this, as you may learn 

 from the observations of Ehrenberg, and other natu- 

 ralists, who have studied the anatomy of rudimental 

 tribes. 



CHAPTER III. 



THE PEIMITIVE CELL. 



22. The science of Botany presents itself under two 

 general aspects. First, we study plants as individuals, 



fcrence ? First Distinction— Second— Tliird— Fourth— Org.anized being, dcflne. 

 What of distinctions between Animals and Vegetables — First — Second— Tliird ? 



