do. It is very cruel to take eggs or young birds from their nests, but it is proper to collect flowers; and while those boys who destroy nests are only learning to be bad, you, by learning about flowers and plants, will be preparing for usefulness. Perhaps your parents or friends can tell you the names of the flowers which you find; and if so, you must remember them. When you go into a lady's flowergarden, you must inquire the names of the different flowers which you see there, and in this way you will learn much. You should likewise ask the uses of them, for, as I told you before, many are good for sickness. Some will cure the tooth-ache, and some other diseases and pains. And if you know them, when your friends are sick you can get some for them. called Botany. CHAPTER II. THE knowledge of plants and their uses is Those who are acquainted with Botany are called Botanists. I wish to have all the children who read this book become botanists. I do not expect you to be botanists as soon as you have read what I have to tell you, for I cannot tell you about but very few plants, in comparison with the vast number of them which are every where found; but there are books which describe a great many. You cannot understand these now; but when you are a few years older, you will be able to read them, and find the names of all the flowers which you gather. A botanist, when he finds. a flower which he never saw before, examines What is Botany? What are those persons called who are acquainted with Botany? it, and then turns to it in his books, where it is described, and finds its name, and what is its How this is done I shall tell you by use. and by. When the Botanist has found the name of the plant, he presses and dries it; and then puts it in his herbarium, with the name written close by it. I will tell you what an herbarium is, and how you can make one. An herbarium is a large paper book filled with different kinds of flowers, with their names written close by them. You can make an herbarium if you wish. You must get two planed boards, about as large as the half of a newspaper; and likewise a parcel of old newspapers. When you find a flower, pick it, with a small branch and some of the leaves hanging to it; or if the plant be What is an herbarium? How is an herbarium made? very small, take the whole of it. Put it in the fold of a newspaper, with the leaves and flowers carefully and smoothly spread, and lay it between your boards. Put a heavy stone on the boards to press it. When you find another, put it on the top of the one you already have between the boards, in the same way. You may put as many plants in different papers, between the same boards, as you please. But, as the plants are green, the papers will soon become damp. Therefore you must change them once in about two or three days, and put them in other papers, which you have dried by the sun or fire, or they will become mouldy. They will very soon be dry, then they will look more beautiful than the pictures of flowers. If you will be industrious, you can press two or three hundred flowers in one summer, for there Describe the method of drying flowers. are a great many in every field. When they are thoroughly dried, you must ask your mother or sister to make you a book of old papers, and put all your flowers in it. Perhaps somebody will tell you their names, and then you, or your parents for you, can write them on small pieces of white paper, and fasten them by little slits to the plants; and then you will always remember them. If you are acquainted with a botanist, the best way will be to send your book to him, and he will write down all the names for you. A great many people do not know the names of flowers and plants, because they do not pay any attention to them. But if they would spend the time which they waste, in learning about them, or noticing them as they grow in the fields, they would enjoy it very much. I Do all persons know about flowers and plants ? Why do they not? |