$2 ROTANY FOR BEGINNERS. [Ch. VL. 
CHAPTER VI. 
Best method of learning Technical terms—Organized and 
of inorganized Beings—The Root. 
106. Wuen you began to analyze plants, you. were made ac- 
yuainted with the first ten classes, because these are the most 
simple and easy to learn. But as you have now learned all the 
classes and orders, it is necessary that you should understand 
that the best method of analyzing a plant, is to begin by com- 
paring it with the description of the last class, and if it does not 
belong there, to go on to the lower classes. 
107. As you proceed in your Botanical studies, you will find 
it necessary to look out many words in the vocabulary, which 
is attached to the book you are now studying. In fact, the lan- 
guage of Botany is new to you, and you must make use of a 
dictionary, as if you were studying a new language. 
108. It used to be considered necessary for a pupil in the first 
place to learn to repeat the hard words, or what are called the 
technical terms, but this was tedious and discouraging, and 
therefore Botany was thought to be a dry and difficult study. 
109. But you can much better learn the technical terms by 
looking out their definitions as you have occasion to under- 
stand them; for instance, when you are examining some one 
plant, you find in the description of the species which belong 
to the genus to which’ you have traced it, one which is said to 
have leaves radical; by turning to the vocabulary, you find 
that this means growing from the root;* if your plant has its 
leaves growing from the stalk, you will perceive that they 
were not radical. If the leaves were said to be serrate, by 
turning to the vocabulary, you find that this means having 
notches upon the edge, like the teeth of a saw (from serra, a 
saw ;) if your plant has its leaves without such notches, you 
would see that they were not serrate. If the term glabrous 
were used, you would find it meant smooth; if the leaves of 
your plant were rough, you would see that this word would not 
apply to them. If another species was described as having 
+ The root in Latin is radiz, genitive radicis, from whence comea 
radical. ‘ 
——= 
106. What is the best method of analyzing plants? 
107. Why must you use a vocabulary in studying Botany ? 
108. Why was Botany formerly considered a dry study ? 
109. What is the best way of learning technical terms? 
