BOTANICAL APHORISMS. 205 
botany by making an index of the most frequent 
variations in the number and sex of different plants. 
When one has been fortunate enough to discover 
the genus of an unknown plant he must proceed to 
determine its species. Me must compare the specific 
characters, and never consider any plant as deter- 
mined till he finds it agree with those laid down. 
When these characters are not sufficient, he then 
compares it with the synonyma, to see if from them 
he can discover it with certainty. In the references 
he makes to authors Linnzus has, after the page, 
added an asterisk (*) to those who have given a 
good description of the plant, by which the further 
investigation is very much assisted. But when the 
plant is obscure, or not certainly known, he dis- 
tinguishes it by a cross, (T). 
The duration of a plant he has marked after the 
place in which itisa native. If it be a tree or a 
shrub, he marks it with this character, 5 ; if a pe- 
rennial with this, 2; if a biennial thus, ¢, and if 
an annual thus, ©. 
IV, NO. 
