FOREWORD 
F recent years there has come into man’s life 
anew joy. This joy is the acquaintance- 
ship with plants. Nature has long been ready to 
reveal her secrets, but only to those prepared to 
hear and see. Gradually a new understanding has 
arisen between Nature and mankind, and as a re- 
sult we obtain from such a revelation a joy un- 
dreamed of a few years ago. 
In no department of the sciences has this awak- 
ening to truth been more in evidence than in bot- 
any. Plants no longer are lifeless things labelled 
and grouped under ponderous Latin titles; they are 
highly developed organisms, which see, hear, taste, 
feel, walk, swim, run, fly, jump, skip, hop, roll, 
tumble, set traps and catch fish; decorate themselves 
that they may attract attention; powder their faces; 
imitate birds, animals, serpents, stones; play hide 
and seek; blossom underground; protect their chil- 
dren, and send them forth into the world prepared 
to care for themselves—indeed, do all those things 
which we ourselves do! We know now that plants 
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