Daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1865, 1860-04-04
LEoTuRR on RoTANY.

We give below Il synopsis of Prof.
Brewers lecture before the Teachers In
stitute at Washington Hall, on Monday
evening last.
The science of Bolany is one that should
attract more of the attention Of the mana
gers of our Public Schools, both for the
discipline of its study nad the useful
knowledge it contains. AT present it is
studied merely for the latter, or rather, is
merely studied as q fashionable accom-
plishmcnt in our female schools; but prob
ably no study is more fascinating to the
young student. or cultivntes better the OBJ
serving faculties. 1t is for the latter that
it is especially adapted to the country
Public Schools.
But it is proposed this evening, to con-
slider one department of this science i'll n
familiar Manner rather than present its
claims or speak of the best means of
teaching it. These will properly claim
our attention again, during the day ses-
sions of this Institute.
Botany is the science which treats of
plants, and we have chosen for our espe-
cial consideration this evening, that class
of plants which are known in common
language rs .RowcrIcss plants, or in scicn
tifc parlancc, as !'Eryptogdmia," Il depart
which treats of .t2oWcring plants, which
form the most Of the vegetation seen in
the lanscape. The fowcrlcss, arc however
of great interest. We will notice the diff
ference Every living being since the
original creation, must have had parent;
each plant must have q parent plant OF the
same kind of species with itself. Now
the way in which the species of ordinary
plants are continued, is by the nature
plant producing a seed, which seed when
placed under the right circumstances, will
germinatc snd produce plant like the pa
rent. This seed was formed by the devel-
opment of certain parts or organs, which
proceeded it, called the flower.
But in a large class of plants there is
no flower, and the seed is in n simpler
form, called technically "spare," which
often is merely simple living cell. which,
when placed under the right circum
stances, will develope and produce plant
like the original But these plants are al
ways of simple construction; they are at
the basis of the vegetable kingdom, the
individual plants often very iuCnnSpicu-
Gus, yet the species performing an i'm
portant Office in the economy of nature
Ferns, MOSES, seR-weeds, mushrooms,
lichens, mould and similar forms of living
beings.
We will not notice the ferns and
moses, which were skctched, and some
forms of which were illustrated by spcc-
mems shown. The simplest form of vcge-
table life is cell, and the simplest plant is
merely n single cell, floating in solution.
Next higher we find several of these cells
growing together i'll chain. or thread,
simply single chain or row of cells,
such is trog-sp0tgn, the green scum on
pools of stagnant water; also the i!oNtlng
sediment in vinegar, dc.
This inconspicuous class of vegetation,
plants often Invisible. except by the pow
crs of the microscope, is, after all, one of
immense Importance. 1t is always found
accompanying fermentation, and many
forms of chemical change and decay. In
fact, many consider these chemical phe-
cause mould. Dry rot in timber, nre other
forms.
OF not the least Importance is auoth-
err form, which lives on living plants or
! animals, parasitic, nouriShed by their
juices, and often entirely killing them
Rust in wheat. smut in various kinds of
grain, blight in grapes, SC, are effects of
such minute parasitic howerless plants,
which can be seen with the microscope.
If we kill the parasite, We cure the dis
case, and all efforts to find remedies of
this class of diseases, is directed towards
finding how to kill the parasite aud not
injurc the plant supporting it. In this
way the grape disease of Southern Europe
is cured by the use of sulphur.
Sea weeds are larger forms, living in
water, often Of large size, but always
simple in structure; and they, too, have
important Offices to perform in the great
economy of nature. Similar to these are
the lichens, growing on rocks, and various
substances, but uourishcd by the air, as
sea weeds are by the water. But we cam
not follow in detail these or the other
classes skctched.