CHAPTER XXI 
KNOWING THE FLOWERS BY NAME 
Every little while you hear this remark: “I never 
can remember the names of flowers.” Change 
“can” to “do” and it would be nearer to the truth. 
Many do not remember the names of flowers, that 
is lamentably apparent; but anyone can remember 
them, if sufficiently interested. It is only a ques- 
tion of training the mind, consciously or uncon- 
sciously. 
The memory will be helped a great deal if the 
striking similarity of the rules of naming flowers 
and civilized human beings is grasped clearly. In 
the botanical world the natural orders are divided 
into genera. Each genus or family has a name, 
which corresponds exactly to the surname of a man 
or woman. But the generic name always comes 
first, a plan which has much in its favor. A genus, 
in turn, is divided into species. This necessitates 
a christian name, so to speak; in botany it is called 
specific. Usually there is only one specific name; 
but, as with the human race, there may be another 
that is still more specific. Thus, to make the cor. 
respondence clearer: 
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