POPULAR FIELD BOTANY. 
233 
difficulties will be found to vanish, for every 
step will smooth the way for another. When 
a little knowledge is obtained, the study be- 
comes more and more interesting every day ; 
each new plant is examined with eagerness, 
and the investigation is no longer toil, hut 
positive pleasure. 
" If the possessor of this book will there- 
fore at once follow the plan laid down, consi- 
derable improvement may be attained in a 
short time. Botany is easily pursued by those 
living in the country, and is not an expensive 
pleasure, whilst the thoughts connected with 
it are pure and refreshing, forming a delightful 
relaxation from more serious duties. It has 
the advantage of healthiness, for plants must 
be searclied for out of doors ; exercise is 
therefore united with study, which is an ob- 
ject in the present state of education. All 
children are fond of flowers, and one-half the 
design of teaching thera Botany is that of 
exercising their understandings, accustoming 
them to attention, and giving them fresli in- 
stances of the wisdom and goodness of God. 
If the minds of children were more turned to 
these pursuits, and that curiosity about the 
things of nature which is implanted in their 
dispositions gratified, there would be less com- 
plaint amongst young people of the dullness of 
a few weeks' sojourn in the country than is 
now too frequently the case. The close exa- 
mination necessary to discover the genus and 
species of a plant, makes us acquainted with 
many beauties concealed from general obser- 
vation, either by their situation or minuteness. 
We cannot pursue knowledge of any kind 
without enlarging our views, as well as acquir- 
ing new ideas ; and Botany has the great 
advantage of elevating the mind v/hilst it im- 
proves and cultivates the intellect. 
" What can add so much to the pleasure of 
a ride or walk in the country, as a knowledge 
of the plants seen in the woods and hedges ? 
or what more instructive to a child when it 
has gathered a pretty bunch of flowers, than 
to point out to it the extraordinary beauty of 
the minute parts, the contrivances for the 
ripening or preservation of the seed, or the 
uses of its roots or juices ? Many useful 
moral lessons may be given to the young in a 
country walk if this pursuit is understood 
and appreciated. Some persons are disposed 
to think it a useless study, and to laugh at 
those who pursue it zealouslj^, and ridicule 
them for showing great delight at the disco- 
very of a new plant they have not before met 
with ; but if they will compare this enthusiasm 
with their own in any favourite study, they 
will find the feeling similar. Unfortunately, 
it is the custom to look on weeds with con- 
tempt, and to forget that they are equally the 
work of God with the planets or suns, and 
that every insigniticant herb is a fresh proof 
of the wisdom and goodness of God in the 
creation. As this little book is only intended 
for those who really wish to know something 
of this part of the works of nature, I need say 
no more by way of inducement, but turn to 
the object of the work." 
As a fair sample of the book, we give the 
following extracts : — 
"LicnENES. Lichens. The characters of 
the order are as follows. Aerial plants (not 
deriving nourishment from the soil). Leaves 
and stem combined, and spreading either hori- 
zontally in the form of a lobed irregular plate, 
or rising erect with irregular branches, having 
discs or shields which produce the seeds. 
"Lichens are very valuable in preparing the 
ground for more important vegetables ; they 
retain much moisture, and even on the bare 
rock, upon which they are often fixed, will 
enable a few seeds of grass and other small 
plants to grow. These wither, and in their 
turn afford nourishment to larger kinds, and 
thus a soil is formed by degrees on these other- 
wise barren spots. They themselves require 
no other nourishment than the moisture of the 
atmosphere ; so that the root fixes them to the 
rock, but is of no further use. They grow 
almost everywhere, on stone and wood, as 
well as on the soil. Some few are eatable, as 
the Cladonia rangiferina, or Rein-deer Ifoss, 
as it is erroneously called, which not only 
forms the food of the useful animal from 
which it derives its name, but is used in 
this country medicinally. It has white stems, 
looking like wire, and forming a mass, which 
is seen on heaths amongst the green Moss. 
Others are used by the dyer. Various species 
appear as the weather-stains on old walls, and 
many beautiful kinds grow on rocks and stones. 
One found on the latter substance, of a green 
and yellow colour, is the Opegrop/ui saxatUis, 
or Map Lichen, as it resembles the marks 
used in delineating geographical plans. These 
are nearly flat on the surface of the stone, but 
others curl up curiously at the edges, and are 
of a bright orange, sulphur, or ashy grey 
colour, constituting the genus Pai-melia. 
Others cover the trunks of trees in wintei% 
and are often called ' Grey Moss,' but they 
are of the Lichen family; the principal is 
Lichen fastigiatus. There are several hun- 
dred species of this order found in the British 
Isles. 
" Fungi. Fungv$es. Aerial plants. No 
leaves or stem, but formed of a cap, the 
undrr side of which is either divided into 
lamellae (thin plates), or a substance resembling 
sponge. 
" A curious tribe of plants, of the same use 
as Lichens in preparing the ground for larger 
