452 POPULAR BOTANY. 
that branch in Natural History which comprehends all that relates to 
the vegetable kingdom. 
With regard to its purpose, botany is divided into two branches, 
namely : — The theoretical, which has for its object the investigation of 
scientific matters ; and practical, which aims to take advantage of this 
science for pecuniary profit. In the last named are included agriculture, 
floriculture, pomology, &c. 
The origin of plants dates, without doubt, as far back as the period 
when the surface of our globe was sufficiently prepared for their recep- 
tion and lasting nutrition ; at all events, the creation of vegetables must 
have been long before that of the quadrupeds for these being for their 
subsistence almost exclusively dependent on vegetables, either directly 
or indirectly, and as one single animal frequently devours more vege- 
table matter in one day than many thousand plants will produce during 
a whole year, an abundant number of the latter were needed for the 
continuation of animal life. 
There is good reason to suppose that plants at first were constructed 
on much more simple forms than we are accustomed to meet, and that 
in the course of time and through the might of influences, they have 
gradually become more various and perfect. 
This change in the forms of plants, however, passes on so very slowly 
that a man's life is not sufficient to observe them. The evidence for the 
supposition already mentioned must, therefore, be derived from other 
facts, namely, by excavations. 
A great many well preserved antediluvial plants have been thus dis- 
covered, which are recognized as plants of our days, but more simply 
constructed. 
The indispensability of vegetables in natural economy cannot be 
better illustrated than by the fact of their existence everywhere. Plants 
are found on our globe as far north and south as it has been explored ; 
their region extends from the deepest cave up to the boundary of snow 
on the highest mountains ; far beyond that of the spheres of animal 
life. 
They grow in almost every kind of soil ; in sand, in gravel, clay, 
chalk ; in swamp?, in water, on stone and rocks ; on living and moulder- 
ing wood, and even on living animals. It is obvious that according to 
their location and the different functions they have to fulfil, they must 
be differently constructed. 
Vegetables are not only created for their own existence, but also as 
an indispensable means of maintaining animal life. Should it happen, 
for instance, that all the vegetables of our globe were destroyed, hardly 
any animal would be found alive in a short time thereafter. With 
regard to this great function, plants have been particularly favoured by 
nature, especially in regard to their independence, propagation, vitality 
and reproduction. While animals have been gifted with free will and 
