BOTANICAL EXERCISES. 
BY THE REV. G. HENSLOW, M.A., E.L.S. 
U NDER the impression that whatever may tend to popu- 
larize the various branches of Natural Science will not 
be unacceptable to our readers, we venture to offer, for the 
benefit of beginners, a series of floral exercises, as an assistance 
to self-instruction in the study of structural botany. And if 
any be already botanists, and are desirous of extending a love 
of this science amongst their friends or pupils, the following 
description of the use of the “ Floral Schedule/'* we doubt not, 
will be found advantageous. 
Just as a knowledge of arithmetic can only be acquired by 
working out numerous examples ; of geometry or logic, by the 
study of problems ; so it will be found, by adopting the method 
here proposed, that a knowledge of structural botany will be 
gained far more rapidly, and, we can assure our readers, with 
far more amusement than any prolonged study of books or 
flowers alone is capable of affording. 
We will now at once proceed to describe and explain how to 
use the Floral Schedule.* 
It consists of a blank form, containing 
seven columns divided into spaces, and 
having the names of the floral “ whorls” 
arranged in the first, on the left-hand side, 
as shown in the accompanying diagram. 
The second column is headed No., and 
in the spaces beneath are to be inserted 
the actual number of parts in each whorl, 
ascertained by inspection and analogy 
jointly. For example, suppose we take 
a Wall-flower. Removing each sepal of 
the calyx, the number will be observed 
to be four, so that 4 must be written opposite the words 
The Floral Schedule was invented by tke late Professor Henslow, and 
extensively used by him, with the most satisfactory results, both in his lecture- 
room at Cambridge and in his own village-school at Hitcham, Suffolk. 
Already many teachers have adopted it, and all testify to the great utility of 
its introduction, wherever a knowledge of structural and systematic botany is 
desired. A more elaborate paper on School Botany will be found in the 
“ Museum,” vol. iii. p. 43. Also a brief description of the Professor’s method 
of teaching botany in his village-school, in the “ Leisure Hour,” No, 565, 
Flower. 
No. 
Pistil, carpels 
Stamen 
Filament 
Anther 
Corolla, petals 
Calyx, sepals 
Perianth, leaves 
