time to attend to more. I have therefore endeavoured to make this treatise acceptable not only to schools, but to students generally.

As schools are inclined to attend to the classes and orders of Linnæus without much regard to their practical use, I have been particular to give some account of genera and species, and the application of the elements in practice in "finding out an unknown plant." The classes and orders of Linnæus were constructed for no other purpose than to afford a means of arriving at a knowledge of genera and species, and a knowledge of them seems not to be of much consequence unless applied to this purpose.

I have added some observations on natural orders, and put down in a concise way the natural orders of Linnæus, and also some account of the anatomy and physiology of vegetables.

The English terms have been placed first and the Latin included in a parenthesis, after the manner of Thornton's Grammar. The plants mentioned as ex

amples of the various elementary principles, are generally natives or exotics, which are commonly cultivated. In most cases the common English appellation of the plant is put down first and this followed by the proper technical or Latin name in italics, separated by a

comma.

The student very properly inquires what books are most suitable for his purposes. In addition to this or some other elementary work, it is necessary he should have some practical ones, such as Dr. Bigelow's "Plants of Boston," which is particularly recommended in this vicinity; although it describes a part only of the native plants, yet Dr. B's descriptions and observations, added to the generic and specific characters, render it very satisfactory and easy even to those who are but slightly acquainted with the language of botany: or, Mr. Eaton's "Manual of Botany," 2d ed. " containing descriptions of the indigenous plants to the north of Virginia, which are well defined and established; and of the cultivated exotics."

Mr. Nuttall's "Genera of North American plants," is highly recommended.

Richard's Botanical Dictionary, New-Haven translation, is very useful for students.

The student can do very little towards getting any practical knowledge of botany with less books than this or some other elementary work, and either Dr. Bigelow's Plants of Boston," or Mr. Eaton's "Manual of Botany," as a practical work.

The student should, if possible, examine plants from the very commencement of studying the elements, es

pecially those which are mentioned as examples, when he can obtain them.

From what little experience I have had in instructing, I cannot recommend to teachers to oblige their pupils to commit any of the following pages formally to memory; in doing which they are by no means certain to get the ideas. But let them read the whole carefully and obtain a general idea of the various parts of a plant, as the roots, trunks, leaves, and especially of the seven parts of the flower and fruit, without making any particular effort to fix in the mind and retain all the more particular terms, which is a thing hardly practicable. Let them get some knowledge also of the classes and orders and the characters by which they are distinguished; and, then proceed immediately to examine plants by practical works, agreeably to the method pointed out, p. 86. At the same time genera, species and varieties should be attended to. They should have their elementary work by them, and refer immediately by the index to the explanation of any term in the practical work which they do not understand.

If the student is anxious to arrive at a knowledge of the classes and orders as immediately as possible, he may commence with Part III. the fructification, flower and fruit, p. 45. When he has studied this he will be prepared to understand the classes, orders, and

genera. After acquiring an idea of these, he may proceed to study parts I. & II. the roots and herbage, on which principally are founded the characters of the species.

We will just mention some of the recommendations of the science and study of botany.

1. The science of botany is valuable, as medicine, agriculture, and the arts are more or less dependant upon it.

2. The study recommends itself as a "rich'source of innocent pleasure." It is pure and elegant, and becomes more and more interesting as it is pursued.

It

adds a new sense and opens a new source of enjoyment. It is not among the least of its recommendations to the young, that it takes the place of other amusements, which are liable to be useless, pernicious, or even ruinous, serving in this way as a preventive to intemperance and dissipation.

3. The study is profitable to the young especially, as it forms the mind and regulates the modes of thinking. Many gentlemen whose learning and experience have qualified them to judge in subjects of this nature, have expressed an opinion that children are generally too much confined to the study of abstract subjects; subjects entirely mental, which they can with difficulty, if at all, comprehend, and that their minds would be better form

ed and their rational powers sooner developed by more attention to sensible objects. Dr. Hosack of New-York, in a letter to Mr. Eaton, published in the " Manual of Botany," makes the following observation on this subject-In early life, before our external senses are completely evolved; when we are, in truth, endeavouring to bring them into exercise and use; it has always appear ed to me a very absurd practice in our schools, to occupy children with studies of an abstract nature, and which require faculties to comprehend them, that are not yet unfolded."

The power of methodizing and analyzing a subject so important in all mental operations, is no doubt better acquired by studying natural history, than by any other means.

The vegetable kingdom, as arranged by Linnæus, is a very perfect model of method. The divisions and subdivisions in the system are founded on marks so simple and obvious, that a child will acquire an exact and practical knowledge of it.

When he has thus acquired a knowledge of system and a power of analysis by attending to sensible objects, he is enabled to carry it into abstract operations, in which sensible objects are not concerned.

In the analysis of the vegetable kingdom according to the Linnæan system, we pass from generals to particulars, thus: it is first divided into classes, classes are divided into orders, orders into