6 
“Formally years it has been one of my constant regrets that no 
schoolmaster of mine had a knowledge of natural history, so far at 
least as to have taught me the grasses that grew by the wayside,” &c. 
See that you do not cast words of ridicule and contempt upon the 
nomenclature used by the botanist. Use the local names locally, but 
remember that a plant may be known by a very different local name 
only a few miles from you; therefore become acquainted with the 
scientihe. Point out to the young that the scientific name is often 
characteristic, and derived from some peculiar feature of the species 
or genus. Take, say, for example, the gum-tree, ironbark, and 
stringybark ; the botanist places these under the name Eucalyptus^ by 
which they are known all over the world. The youngest pupil will 
see at once, if pointed out to liiiu, how admirably this uame is suited 
to these trees, tihow a flower-bud or half-expanded flower, and 
explain that the word used, Eucalyptus^ was so given to these plants 
because tlie organs of reproduction, tbe anthers and stigma, in the 
early stage of their existence are well covered by an extinguisher-like 
lid, and thus protected until they come to maturity. Botanic names 
are also, in some instance, commemorative, and baud down from age 
to age. tbe name of some worker in, or benefactor to, the science. As 
an example of this class, the name Banksia may be quoted, as it is 
called after Sir Joseph Banks, one of the earliest collectors of 
Australian plants. There are instances where the names will be 
considered, and justly so, as far-fetebed ; and others in which it was a 
prostitution of a noble science to attach the name to the plant ; but 
there have been, and unfortunately are still, sycophants amongst 
botanists as in other professions. 
It would seem our bounden duty, besides the pleasure we derive 
from the pursuit, to study plant life. Plants act a most important 
part in the economy of nature, as in their act of feeding they are 
fitting the air for the respiration of animals, and in like manner the 
animal world is useful to plant life; thus we see that the one is 
essential to the well-being of the other. All plants are of use, bo 
they considered by us ever so mean ; and this alone, one might 
think, answers enough to that constant query put to a lover of 
plants when he havS just met with some new or rare treasure of l'lora*3 
Kingdom — “What’s the goed of it? What’s the use of it ?” Those 
persons who are in the habit of asking these questions are the people 
wFose one only object in the world is to amass money ; gold is their 
god, and they are Idiiid to the beauties of nature around them. If, 
theu, plants are essential to animal life, how thaukful we should feel 
to the Great Creator who caused them to spring forth so abundantly 
over the face of the earth, and gave to man intellect to, as it were, 
carry on the creation. The wild man certainly has not used his 
intellect to improve the natural plants, but has been usually content 
to gather the products which grew spontaneously from the soil for his 
food and clothing. But how far different has been the behaviour of 
the civilised portion of mankind ! By judicious selection, cultivation, 
and other means they have produced, from a grass bearing a grain 
which at the present time we should consider very inferior, those 
excellent cereals of which we arc so justly proud, and from which we 
make our bread and other necessary articles of food. And from the 
Wild Crab the i.umerous excellent Apples, and doubtless from the 
