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Fi\E.T II. 



INTRODUCTION TO PLANTS. 



Botany is the study of plants in all tKeir various 

 branches and divisions, which is interesting and instruc- 

 tive. Plants are divided into two organs— the organs 

 of vegetation and the organs of reproduction. The or- 

 gans of vegetation are divided into the root, stem and 

 leaves. The organs of reproduction are divided into the 

 flower, fruit and seed: the seed is divided into the em- 

 bryo. The flower has one division — the pereanth: it 

 has four parts — the corolla, calyx, stamens and pistil. 

 The corolla is divided into petals; the calyx into sepals; 

 the stamens have two parts— the filament and the an- 

 ther; the pistil has three parts — the ovary or seed ves- 

 sel, the style and stigma or spongy crown which re- 

 ceives the pollen. Leaves are put into two classes, ac- 

 cording to their veins — the parallel veined or exegens, 

 which have soft stems, and the net veined or endegens 

 which have woody stems. The net veined are divided 

 into two classes or divisions — simple when the leaf is 

 in one piece, and compound when divided into several 

 parts. Leaves are also divided into several classes, in 

 regard to their shape, such as linear, lobed, orMcular, 

 cleft, parted, kidney shape, heart shaped, waved, 

 toothed, lobate, oblong, oval, etc. All flowers are 

 put in various classes and ranks, according to their 

 flowers, roots, stems and leaves. Botany and Natural 

 History each teach us to read in the book of nature 

 with great pleasure and satisfaction. 



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