THE 
FIRST BOOK OF BOTANY. 
CHAPTER I. 
THE LEAF. 
EXERCISE I. 
The Parts of a Leaf. 
The first question to be asked about a leaf is, 
What are its parts? You are to study living leaves. 
Begin by finding and naming their parts. But, first 
of all, you must get leaves to study. 
If you look along the fences, in the yards, gar¬ 
dens, and orchards, in the fields and woods, you will 
find leaves of many sorts on trees, bushes, and herbs. 
Break them off carefully, so as to miss none of their 
parts. It is better (when you are permitted) to get 
small branches from trees and bushes, and you may 
often find it best to get the whole of low plants. In 
this way you will be sure to have the leaves with all 
the parts belonging to them. 
Fig. 1 shows you the parts of a complete leaf, and 
the name of each part is printed near it. 
Blade.— The flattened green part of the leaf. 
Petiole.— The leaf-stalk. 
Stip'ules. —Small bodies at the base of the petiole, 
that look more or less like leaves. 
