(The gtfitttg Jlatimilist : 



A Penny Weekly Magazine of Natural History. 



No. 34. JUNE 19th, 1880. Vol. 1. 



PLANTS AND THEIR 

 RELATION TO HEALTH. 



A WALK through Betlmal Green 

 Museum will show that there is 

 scarcely any branch of Natural History 

 that cannot be turned to some good 

 account for the benefit of man. I took 

 such a walk hurriedly one evening at 

 nearly closing time, and though within 

 the walls of the museum but a short 

 time, the greatest and earliest portion 

 of which was spent over the Doubleday 

 Collection of Lepidoptera, and though 

 I have had many a happy walk through 

 forest and field, over hill and dale, yet 

 this short stroll through the museum 

 will remain fresh upon my memory 

 when other events of great national 

 importance have vanished and flown. 

 Everything is arranged in perfect 

 order, everything that is of use to man, 

 either as food or clothing, is arranged 

 in all its stages of development or 

 manufacture, and animals and plants 

 of injurious character also find a place 

 there, and the spectator is enabled to 

 discriminate between his true friends 

 and his enemies. 



" A consummation devoutly to be 

 wished." 



This is called the economic portion of 

 the study : a portion which Naturalists 

 should always endeavour to keep in 

 view : and a portion which we shall try 

 and keep before our readers. There is 

 many and many a story yet to tell full 

 of intense interest and usefulness ; 

 many a fact stronger than fiction of 

 which we venture to think that many 

 of the readers of the Young Naturalist 

 are as yet unacquainted. Every little 

 insect that is crushed mercilessly under 

 the foot, every flower that expands its 

 petals to the bright summer sun, has a 

 beautiful story hidden behind those 

 gauzy wings, or that crimson blossom. 

 Every little mark upon a stone of 

 different character from the surround- 

 ings, every water- worn pebble, or 

 splinter of rock, has a history of its 

 own. These are the letters of the 

 Alphabet : before you hope to read the 

 book of nature you must know your 

 letters ; you must then learn to spell 

 before you can read ; but no scholar is 

 refused admission to this school, and 

 nature hides no secrets from those who 

 interrogate her in a right way. 



There are many ways in which a 

 study of Natural History is beneficial, 



