CONSPECTUS OF THE NATURAL SYSTEM. 89 



belonging to well marked families, other species, although 

 not in flower, can in general by their likeness be referred 

 to their respective families ; and in many cases, aided by 

 the sense of taste, scent, and touch, a twig, a single leaf, 

 flower, or fruit, is often sufficient data for that purpose. 



To assist the practical amateur to attain that degree of 

 knowledge, I have drawn up the following arrangement 

 of flowering plants in as simple a manner as the scien- 

 tific nature of the subject reasonably permits. Pre- 

 suming that the preceding pages have been duly studied, 

 the next step is to examine and compare plants in flower 

 with the characters of the principal divisions and sec- 

 tions of the classification, which will lead the student to 

 determine their places in their sequence of arrangement, 

 and in many cases to their special families. 



In the selection of examples, I have, as far as pos- 

 sible, chosen species well known by popular English 

 names, or for their products ; and with regard to the 

 botanical names I have, in order to avoid perplexing the 

 learner with synonyms, in most cases adopted the original 

 Linnsean, or such modern name as is best known, the 

 synonym being sometimes included in parentheses. The 

 families of special plants, or products having popular 

 names, will be readily found by reference to the index. 

 By diligent practical application of the above, the amateur 

 student cannot fail, during the course of a year, to be- 

 come acquainted with the special characters and features 

 of the principal families represented in this country by 

 natives or exotics ; beyond that point this work does not 

 profess to teach. 



Botanists not only entertain different views as to the 

 relationship of families, but also in their mode of com- 

 mencing their systems ; some begin with Cryptogams, 



