Familiar Lectures on Botany, Practical, Elementary, and Physiological

Norby Hunnel beauct

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1850

Entered. according to Act of Congress, in the year 1845.

BY MRS. LINCOLN PHELPS.

in the Clerk's Office of the District Court of the United States, or the Southern Distric of New York

PREFACE.

THIS work was prepared, originally, with the view of being used as a text book in the class-room, and by private students, teaching in a simple and inductive manner the Science of Analytical Botany, as also Vegetable Physiology. It did not profess to contain a sufficient number of descriptions of genera and species to furnish a complete manual for the Botanist in collecting and labelling plants; those which were described were chiefly the more common, such as the student would be most likely to meet with in his botanical excursions, or could readily be collected for illustrations before classes, and for teaching the mode of analysing and classifying.

The extensive circulation of this work has encouraged the Author and publishers to incur new labor and expense to adapt it more fully to the demands of the public. These demands, according to the testimony of teachers in various sections of the country, are for a greater number of generic and specific descriptions of plants. We have, therefore, added extensively to the catalogue of Southern and Western plants, as also to that of more northern latitudes. So that the book will now contain descriptions of most of the plants of the United States, and cultivated exotics. We except such of the Cryptogamia and Grasses as are too obscure in their characteristics for the attention of the general student; as also some new Species, which appear to have been separated from their proper and established relations, in order to gratify the vanity of imaginary discoverers, or to enable them to compliment their friends by giving their names to the supposed new Species.

With the Flora of Northern, Southern, and Western plants now presented to the public, in connexion with the Familiar Lectures on Botany, we hope to have rendered our work such as will fully answer public expectation.

PATAPSCO FEMALE INSTITUTE, (Ellicott's, near Baltimore, Maryland,) March 1, 1845.

TO TEACHERS.

THE author indulges the hope that this book will not only afford assistance but gratification to Teachers, in the pursuance of the severe and often ennuyant duties of their profession. It is hoped that it may serve to interest and quicken the dull intellects of some pupils, to arrest the sugitive attention of others, and to relax the minds of the over-studious, by leading them all into paths strewed with flowers, and teaching them that these beautiful creations of Almighty Power are designed, not merely to delight by their fragrance, color, and form, but to illustrate the most logical divisions of Science, the deepest principles of Physiology, and the goodness of God.

The best time for commencing botanica, studies seems to oe that of the opening of flowers in the spring; though, where circumstances render it convenient to begin in winter, assistance is offered by engravings. The arrangement of subjects might be altered, in pursuing the study without the aid of natural flowers. The Second part, which treats of the various organs of plants, the formation of buds, and other subjects connected with vegetable physiology; the Fourth part, which gives the history of the science, with the distinctions in the kingdoms of nature, might be studied to advantage, before attending much to the principles of classification, which are mostly illustrated in the First and Third parts.

On the first meeting of a bonical class, after some explanation as to the nature of the study they are about to commence, each member should be presented with a flower for analysis. The flower selected should be a simple one, exhibiting in a conspicuous manner the different organs of fructification; the lily and tulip are both very proper for this purpose. The names of the different parts of the flower should then be explained, and each pupil directed to dissect and examine the flower. After noticing the parts of fructification, the pupils will be prepared to understand the principles on which the artificial classes are founded, and to trace the plant to its proper class, order, &c. At each step, they should be required to examine their flowers, and to answer simultaneously the questions proposed; as, how many staimens has your flower? Suppose it to be a lily, they answer six. They are then told it is of the sixth class. How many pistils? They answer one-they are told it is of the first order. They should then be directed to take their books and turn to the sixth class, first order, to find the genus. In each step in the comparison they should be questioned as above described, until, having seen in what respects their plant agrees with each general division, and differs from each genus under the section in which it is found, they ascertain its generic name. They should

be taught in the same manner to trace out its species: they will perceive at each step some new circumstance of resemblance or difference, until they come to a species, the description of which answers to the plant under consideration.

Technical terms should be explaine, as the pupil' proceeds. The advantage in this kind of explanation, over that of any abstract idea, is, that it is manifested to the senses of the pupils by the object before them. If a teacher attempt to define the words reason, will, &c., or any other abstract terms, there is danger that the pupil may, from misunderstanding the language used in the explanation, obtain but a very confused and imperfect idea of the definition; and, indeed, what two authors or philosophers give to abstract terms the same definition? Though mankind do not, in the purely mental operations, exhibit an entire uniformity, yet, in their external senses, they seldom disagree. A flower which appears to one person to be composed of six petals, with corolla bell-form, and of a yellow color, is seen to be so by another. Pupils who find it difficult to understand their other studies (which in early youth are often too abstract), are usually delighted with this method of analyzing plants; they feel that they understand the whole process by which they have brought out the result, and perhaps, for the first time, enjoy the pleasure of clear ideas upon a scientific subject.

It is necessary, before the meeting of the class, to have a suitable number of plants collected, so that all may have specimens. In examining the pupils as they proceed in their study, each one, besides reciting a lesson, should be required to give an analysis of one or more plants; sometimes the whole class having similar flowers; sometimes giving to each pupil permission to bring any plant she chooses. This, also, at public examinations, is a satisfactory method of testing their knowledge of the subject. With respect to those portions of the work to which their attention should most particularly be paid, it must be left to the judgment of the teacher. Whatever relates to modes of classification, and makes part of a system, should be noted: many remarks, illustrations, and quotations, are designed merely for reading, without being considered as important matter for recitation.

The name of the Natural Order is connected with the name of each genus under the head of Descriptions of Species; indeed, the subject of the natural affinities of plants is kept in view through the whole work, although the artificial system is considered as the groundwork of botanical knowledge. The origin of the generic name is also given, as far as this could be ascertained with any degree of certainty.

The analysis at the bottom of each page, is designed rather to suggest the leading subjects, than as a form of questions; for every experienced teacher must perceive the importance of varying his mode of questioning.

CONTENTS

OF THE LECTURES AND APPENDIX.

INTRODUCTION.

PAGE

LECTURE I.—Importance of System.-Advantages to be derived from the Study of