194 BOTANY FOR BEGINNEKS. [Ch. XVII 
been named and described, including many wn’ch have been 
recently discovered in New Holland and about the Cape of 
Good Hope, is said to be 56,000. 
435. If species of plants were described wichout any regular 
order, we could derive no pleasure, and very little advantage, 
from the study of practical botany. If we wished to find out 
the name of a plant, we should be obliged to turn over the 
leaves of a large volume, without any rule to guide us in our! 
search. 
436. The necessity of some kind of system was so appa- 
rent, that many attempts for the methodical arrangement of 
plants, were made, before the time of Linneeus; but his system 
was so superior to all others, that it was no sooner published to 
the world, than it was adopted by the universal consent of all 
men of science. 
437. This system not only includes within it all known 
plants, but is founded on such principles as must comprehend 
within it whatever plants may yet be discovered. Its author 
believed that no plant was destitute of stamens and pistils: but 
at the same time, that there were species in which these organs. 
were so small, so obscure, or of such a singular formation, as to 
render it difficult, and sometimes impossible, to be certain 0° 
their existence, except by the principle of analogy. 
438. Linneus made two grand divisions of plants, Pheno 
gamous, such as have stamens and pistils visible, and Crypto- 
gamous, stamens and pistils invisible. 
439. The following comparison has been very properly made 
in illustration of the divisions in the system of Linneus. 
Classes are compared to States. 
Oiders, | to Towns. 
Genera, to Families. 
Species, to Individuals. 
440. You must not forget, while you are studying botany | 
that plants themselves are the only real substances ; species, 
genus, order, and class, are mere abstract terms, denoting cer- 
tain distinctions which would equally have existed, although 
we had never observed them, or given them names. 
435. What would be the consequence if species were described with- 
out regularity ? 
436. Were any attempts at a methodical arrangément of plants: 
made before the time of Linnzus? 
437. Does the system of Linneus provide for the arrangement ot 
plants not yet discovered ? : 
438. What two grand divisions of plants did Linneus make? QU. 
439. How may the divisions in botany be illustrated ? 
440. Which are the on‘ yreal substances that are considered in botany". 
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