22 FUNDAMENTAL CONSIDERATIONS 



It has been repeatedly remarked that plant life is a circle of germina- 

 tion, growth, and reproduction, passing again into germination. It 

 therefore makes little difference, on general principles, at which point 

 we enter upon our series of observations. Begin where we will, we must 

 labor at the disadvantage of requiring more or less knowledge of facts 

 preceding our point of departure, and therefore not as yet possessed. 

 In special cases, however, there is much more room for choice, and 

 there are many reasons why we would advise pharmaceutical students 

 to commence by observing the organ concerned in reproduction, namely, 

 the flower. 



