4 
JNTR OD UCTION 
II. SUGGESTIONS TO STUDENTS AS TO THE 
METHOD OF USING THIS BOOK. 
The present work is not intended as a mere dictionary 
of miscellaneous information about plants, but also and in 
an equal degree as a guide to the scientific study of mor- 
phology, natural history, geographical distribution, classifica- 
tion, economic botany &c. A few suggestions, therefore, 
as to the mode of using the book may not be out of place. 
While in Part II. no particular effort has been made 
to avoid technical language, the terms and expressions 
employed are so far explained in Part I. that it is hoped 
that the book will be found available by any one, though 
it is recommended that a preliminary study be made 
of any of the small elementary treatises on Botany, e.g. 
F. Darwin’s Elements of Botany in this series of Manuals. 
An explanatory index will be found at the end of the book. 
The student will do well to confine his attention during 
the first summer and autumn to the elements of morphology 
and natural history ; these are dealt with in Chapter I. ; 
specimens should be obtained, dissected, and described in 
technical language, and careful sketches made of points of 
interest ; too great stress cannot be laid upon the importance 
of careful description and drawing, which enforce attention 
to essential and important features. The sections in Chap- 
ter III. dealing with Herbs, Shrubs, and Trees should also 
be read. During the winter he should study carefully the 
various ways in which plants hibernate and store up reserves 
for the growth of the next spring ; this will naturally lead to 
a thorough study of the morphology of buds, and of tubers, 
rhizomes and other underground parts. 
As soon as a few flowers begin to appear out-of-doors, 
the study of classification may be begun. At first no 
attempt should be made to learn the characters of the 
natural orders, nor to study the principles of classification, 
but a thorough study should be made, with the aid of both 
parts of this book, of all obtainable plants belonging to 
about a dozen or twenty of the large orders, chosen as 
representatives of the various sections of the natural system, 
e.g. the following : 
