PARTS OF THE FLOWER. 
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sciences, we will now proceed to that department which is to 
be the object of your present study. 
DEPARTMENTS IN BOTANY. 
Botany,* that department of Natural History which we are 
now to investigate, treats of the vegetable kingdom, including 
every thing which grows , having root , stem , Leaf, or flower. 
This science comprehends the knowledge of the methodical ar- 
rangement of plants, of their structure, and whatever has rela- 
tion to the vegetable kingdom. The study of plants may be 
considered under two general heads. 
1st. The classification of plants by means of comparing their 
different organs, is termed Systematic Botany. 
2nd. The knowledge of the relations and uses of the various 
parts of plants with respect to each other, is termed Physiologi- 
cal Botany. This department includes Vegetable Anatomy. 
Systematic Botany is divided into the artiflcial and natural 
methods. The artificial method is founded upon different cir- 
cumstances of two organs of the plant, called the pistils and 
stamens. Linnaeus of Sweden was the first who discovered that 
these organs are common to all plants, and essential to their 
existence. Taking advantage of this fact, he founded his class- 
es and orders upon their number, situation, and proportion. 
By this artificial system, plants are brought together which are 
unlike in their general appearance, as in a dictionary, words of 
different signification are placed together from the mere circum- 
stance of their agreeing in their initial letters. 
PARTS OF THE FLOWER. 
Before you can learn the principles on which the classifica- 
tion of plants depends, it is necessary that you should become 
acquainted with the parts of a flower. You have here a draw- 
ing which represents two very common flowers, a Lily and a 
Pink. You can, by comparing with these drawings, the de- 
scriptions about to be given, acquire a knowledge of the parts 
of a flower ; and the farther to assist you, the flowers are dis- 
sected, that is, the different organs are drawn separately. Yet 
When you can procure natural flowers, they should always be 
examined in preference to any artificial representations. 
You all know what the flower blossom is, and call each part 
* From a Greek word, signifying an herb. 
Departments in Botany — Definition of Botany — Systematic Botany — 
Parts of the flower. 
