A 



FEEN BOOK FOE EVERYBODY. 



TEENS! EEEj^S!! 



That we may begin fairly with our history of this v^ery 

 interesting and exceedingly popular section of the vege- 

 table world, it will be necessary for a moment to call to 

 mind the names, form, and appearance of all the plants 

 of which we have any knowledge. This vision will as- 

 semble together trees, shrubs, herbaceous plants, ferns, 

 mosses, seaweeds, lichens, and fungi. If we proceed still 

 farther, and try to picture to ourselves the flowers which 

 are borne by this endless variety of plants, we shall, per- 

 haps, for the moment be puzzled. Some of them, it is 

 true, bear flowers with which we are so familiar that we 

 cannot fail to remember ; but others bear flowers so small 

 and inconspicuous, that, unless we have looked for them, 

 it is quite possible that they may never have been ob- 

 served. Yet, although we may not remember to have 

 seen them, the oak, elm, beech, birch, and maple bear 

 flowers as truly as the primrose, buttercup, and daisy. 

 All these forest trees, shrubs, and plants of the woodland 

 and the garden bear distinct and positive flowers, and are, 

 therefore, called "flowering plants; "whereas ferns, mosses, 

 seaweeds, lichens, and fungi appear to have no flowers at 

 all, and have been called " flowerless plants." A more 



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