New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1866-03-31
POPULAR BOTANY.
|, Illustration Of S0mc Cfthe Most Interesting
Phenomena Connected with Vegetable Life.

TIE following Paper, prepared by IL. \.
cr,rp. Chairman OF the Section on Botynv in
me Long Island Historical Society, was read
hofors that body by the Rev. Mr.. FAFLEY, at
Mr. Graers request, in consequence ST his in
sbil7 10 pronounce clearly the English Ian
language;
The s,1dy Of Natural History opers for us so many
.ece. for moral reflections and rura enjoy meuts and
,svarls ~ ut The time wita. so many vaud.
Ne developments useiel 10 prac'is life that it can
l.,ty b. Sufficiently appreciated. Whoever has on
ou,orluny should regard il as duty. TO aid aud 10
,slr every branch Of this science 70 the hest OF his
ability AMI ost as my fate 20 pass more than thirty
wears Of ny lie among plants where the mos favorable
orportuities offered &c observe and study their
de and habits j, affords me great pleasure to CONAN
sote % those no take interest enough in this branch
sna,Dral history some Of Ty own obseryaons and re.
e,c,oas in connection with otaer fcts more generally
kpcyn The Flain Obiec; of this ESSAY will tend to sum
M and explain some of tae manifold and interesting
Phenomena connected With vegetable life; 20 show
scme Of the important fncons which vegetables have
% ul6l in natural ecop0my a1d also ;e great wisdom
and esre which have necessarily been bestowed upon
them witt regard 10 tloir creation preservation. prop
seetion and diffusion over the snrace Of globe. 1t
voul hc 10 me great qualification shoald these re.
marks make lasting impression the moral feelings
,fthosc who listen & them. and lead TO greater in
se1est IN the study e. Natural History in general
In order to be peri city understood viii try TO
avoid much possible an scientific terms, and
wish. therefore to have This ny lecture regarded
AN Essay on POPULAR BoTAEY.
The English word Botany is derived from the Greek.
,w1f Oh
cOmprebends an that relates 10 the vegetable kingdom
With regard to its purpose, Botary is divided into
,vo branches, namely: The Theoretical which has for
its ject The investigation Of scntd c matters; and
practical which aims 70 take advantage of this science
fUr pecuniary profit In the last mined are includcd
Agriculture. Horticulture, Horticulture, Pomoory sc
The origin Of plants dates withor. doubt lar back
a. "a the period whom the surf II globe was
prfcienly prepared for Their reception ard lasting
Sutruon az al events the creation 81 Vefg. iaes '
have teen long before that Of tie qu1drn"dS lot tte'
being fr their Subsistence eimOSt exclusively oepond'
ent vegetables either directly indirectly ana az
en- single animal rot seldom derours moro yeeet1We
nstter in day tteu mary thousand plants VIII pro-
dbte during whole year an abundant number 81 me
lstsr were needed TO- the confirmation oI animal ne
There IL good reason Co ppose hat pauiS nt d 81
were constructed on rucn simple forms ina We
are accustomed 10 meet, and that IN the course OF TINE
end through the might Of influences, they nave gfadu
ALL become more various ana perfect
This change m the forms az plants hoWe'e' piss's
on very slowly thoi mans he Is uot suiIcrh 70
ehserye them TIC evidence .1r the supro,itlon nj
ready mentioned must therefore be derived iGOm other
fsc:s namely, by excnYr tions.
A great many W. III re.erved anfeduvi'l plants have
been ;hus discovered. which are recognized as P"-is
of our DAYS hat more simply constructed.
The iudspeusahity Of VC Eetibes ~ natural economy
can not be better illustrated than by eet Oh men ca
isaBce everywhere. Plants axe found on or g"Ue ~
fl north and south has been explored therrecon
extends from the deepest cave up 70 The boundary oi
snow on the highest mountains hr beyond that oi the
uha~a 30 QranTr M
They rrox in aim st every kndof soil; IL sand. in
gravel. clay. chalk; II swsmfs N water on sioHr ma
rockss living end mOdoI1R wood End even "n Nv
lag animals is obvi0gs thn. according 10 their o a.
ton and the different functions they have TO fulfill they
must be differently constructed.
VEGETABLES are not only created for their own exist
epce but also Indispensable means ~ mug
animal life Should il happen for instance tnat All ne
yeget thles Of globe destroyed hardy any am
nal Eould be found alive IL short time Thereafter
With regard to this great function. plants have heer
particularly favored by Batare especi! IN Ie-aII 70
tbeI Independence propagation, vitality and eprodnc.
ZION While animals have been cftcd Win Tree VII
and voluntary notion plants are chained 10 the gfoahu
bet vegetables. in ietgrn, have neth ehaO"cu WIN
other advantages which Will COanterbal nee tleh 10
certain degree for instance, most oil the plants are
bermaphrodite, oombn4ng the conditlons oil pf"paea
ton In one individual When most Oh tho lAbd hludS
r-,duee "a general role from one to two young ores
Der annum and rarely than 20. single plant nsi-
sy produces during the same time many thonSai uS
nav ferns hchens aud moses even several mlODs o.
seeds-each containing the gem OF he" Fese'AOio
life
Beside BY seeds. the propagation Oh pants taA's
plsoe in natural way BY FoOtsh oOts SUCKERS runners
LAYERS by bulbs BY bending over OF branches Dy uf"-
ping Of wigs and leaveswitheat regard 10 inc many
different artificial manipniaLcns' whose SUCCESS y
In regard 70 vitality and reproduction refer to the
fact that animals usually die when deprived OF integral
parts OF their body; bot plants retain tD-r NtdIt!
whes totally deprived of their caves oraIcnes' hnu
even stems; 0s the grass on meadows, WGefe calle
greze ia eaten of and IeF-odacec semetl one AZ =,
hours AS further evidence FOR NJ s'atehH " "Iis
mention that plants produce. with the ststance oi
hight air and water nOurisaDent enough OF eDse'cs
Tor the sustenaDce OF their hie ana RFo"th iuNePuo'
AZ for instance az che frost has intern pied the
circulation Of cap in vegetables the leaves 81 most
Of the trees shrubs or the whole CROWN OF hhua
and perennial plants drop 20 the GROUND ana MOI
only serve IS a natural protection Tor the ro1ts
or seeds against the colo pat Lole - ~
produced By the chemical process OF decomlH stoh'
for the zane end From the dropped and dhcaylng
leaves brushwood, and other matter qua~it OF
humus OF leaf.mOuld is prOcoeed, OF WAch th. ram
water viii dissolve their SOLUBLE parts ana penetrate
With them the bottom; from which latter lhe fO04 III
absorb them again. Ia order " use them io1 inc
Besjdes The noaTishment from she hun1s. the roots
also absorb some different liquid sarth'sal OUT o, ,ne
coil while the leaves absorb and decOmp,se ON 'neli
suffice part OF the carbonc acio gas oi the httos
pierre y this reason the foliage Produced ~ ms way
weighs ALWAYS more than both the absorbed hnnuss al
sat together ws1ld amount TO- ths sos mus go
rise TO the ntrod notion OF peculiar mode OF hhuiA
In coubtries fox instance. where manure Is scare
poor fields are soun with tie seeds OF easy ana VICE
ously growing plaI is buch az peas NcASh iup 80
andss soon IA tLey reach their maturity, they ore
powed under. HeT, by the decomposition OF these
vegetables the grocnd will gain more panare ar nu a
than the preyious crop had absorbed from the poor BOIL
and In his way the lelds are very much improved
TIE constituent pssts Of the plants sse, IN general
roots stem leaves eslix corolla germ Psu hisaen.s
Quit md seed Besides these, many plants are iou,lu
10 have other organic parts which, however world Dc
too numerous TO mention in this place avery one ~
these organs has its certain function 70 iulnm huv
FOOT for instagce serves simultaneously es an %
20 sen the uant 10 the ground and al the same me-