104 ' THE FLORIST AND 



separate and complete science, and that they must all be compassed in order 

 to form an elevated and just idea of Botany. These branches have received 

 different names ; I will enumerate them rapidly, indicating the object which 

 they propose. 



Under the term Organography is included that part of Botany' w'nieli 

 studies the form and the symmetry of the organs, that is, of the numberless 

 modifications which are presented by the roots, the stalks, the leaves, th$ 

 flowers, and the fruits ; Organogeny shows in what manner these organs de- 

 velope themselves ; Anatomy treats of their internal structure ; Physiology 

 explains to us their functions, unveils the mechanism of their life and the" 

 mysteries of nutrition and fecundation' ; it gives us an account of the move- 

 ments of the leaves and flowers, their respiration, the sleep and awaking of 

 plants. Embryology makes us study in the seed the rudimentary state of 

 the vegetable' which it should produce. Teratology gives us the key to the 

 monstrosities, fanciful exceptions which are as often met with in the vege- 

 table as in the animal kingdom, and of which the profound and reasoning 

 study has thrown the strongest light on the functions and the nature of or- 

 gans in the normal state. Finally Glossology or Terminology, teaches itis 

 the technical language employed in designating the organs and their modii- 

 fcafions. 



With the help of these sciences We cannot study the plant but in itself and 

 in an isolated manner ; if we wish to compare with each other appearance' of 

 vegetables, we employ Taxonomy, which classes them by families, by tribes 

 als to describe species, and Nomenclature which makes us know the names 

 wnich have been assigned to them. 



To complete these studies, the knowledge of Botanical geography must be 

 joined to them, which designates the stations and habitats of plants and the 

 haws according to which they are distributed in different regions of our globe. 

 Further it is necessary to seek out the influence exercised upon plants by 

 different exterior causes, such as the chemical composition of soils, the ac- 

 tion of light, of temperature and of air on the development and life of or- 

 gans ; this is the object of Epirreology, a? study important as the means 

 whereby they can, for instance, calculate the quantity of heat necessary un- 

 der each latitude to ripen corn and fruits, and consequently judge before 

 hand and with certainty what are the proper cultures for each climate. In 

 fine, a large number of plants have disappeared from the globe on account of 

 different convulsions which have overturned it ; the botanist calling geology 

 to his aid, refinds in the bowels of the earth' imprints of their forms, con- 

 trived to recognize and reconstruct their characters, and replaces them 



