226 
THE STUDY OF THE SCIENCE OF BOTANY. 
painter’s eye. Still it is very possible to bring the extremes nearer 
together; to diversify and enrich the naked tameness of the “ capa¬ 
bility ” style; and to soften the asperities, and qualify the exuberance 
of imagination observable in some of the most celebrated paintings. 
How this may be done, we shall reserve for another opportunity, 
more especially as a friend has promised us a series of letters on this 
very subject; and as he intends to tell us not only what may be, but 
what has actually been done, the information, it is hoped, will not be 
unacceptable to our readers. 
BOTANY. 
ON THE STUDY OF THE SCIENCE OF BOTANY. 
BY F. F. ASHFORD. 
( Continued from p. 186.) 
This class contains the most beautiful of the herbaceous plants of 
our gardens. With a few exceptions, it is, to a considerable degree, 
a natural assemblage, comprehending a large proportion of those 
favourites of gardeners, the orders of Amaryllidece, Aspliodelece, Bro - 
meliacece, Liliacece, and Melanthacece ; also a few grasses and palms, 
some genera of Berberidece, all Hypoxidece, and many Juncece. The 
hot-house Amaryllidece, or lilies of the valley, consists of a number of 
beautiful species. Among the Bromeliacece are found the delicious pine¬ 
apple ( Ananas sativa), and the curious Tillandsias, some of which are 
called air plants. The asparagus ( Asparagus officinalis), and the 
officinal squill ( Ornithogalum squilla), belong to Asphodelecc. The 
Phormium tenax, which produces the strong flax of New Zealand; the 
Aloes, curious for their fantastic foliage ; the fragrant tuberose ( Polian - 
tlios tuberosus) ; the plantains (Musce), so valuable as an important 
article of food in all the tropics, are all contained in this class. Hither 
also is referred the valuable rice ( Oryza sativa), the curious bamboo 
(Bambusa arundinacea), and the rush (Juncus conglomerate), some 
of the species of which are well known for their use in economical pur¬ 
poses ; others as the most worthless weeds of our heaths. Orders 
four, viz. 
Monogynia ; Galanthus nivalis, the humble snow-drop. 
Digynia ; Atraphaxis undulata. 
Trigynia ; JRumex acetosa, common sorrel. 
Polygynia; Alisma ranunculoides, the lesser water plantain. 
