Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1873-11-04

kuua la Adcl ln sly any thing ia detail
oi lac mos, common ll1Ntr. Bat botany
is cmi,entlY a science ol relations, aflini'
ties. resemblanceS and plan; and it is the
study of these which gives the science
lis requisite attractions, when one has
opened the door aud commenced to eX.
anime, in the true spirit of a Learner, The
wonders which are hidden from the ina
ten.iyc observer The girl teacher loves
flowers. and knows their Language
bat when she shall be able to LAY the
moment she sees new plant that it ice.
longs 10 the crucifer;e, or TO the rose
family, or 10 the labiateS, The SaNilrages,
the borragcs, or the crowlootS. rs ihc
ctse may be, she has begun TO study
their relationships, aud has entered upon
the pursuit Of the science itself
There are many reasons why farmers
boys and girls should make themselves
acquainted with the study OF botany, al
least 30 TAR as to know the conspicuous
characteristic Of the great orders ct
plants. Many youth strol.ing in inc
woods has become seriously poisoned as
10 his hands, feet ani face, and somebody
tells him 1t WAS poison ivy that did the
mischief; but how many can describe
the plant Itself, the Rius t2ricodeHdroR.
and know how to avoid the unpleasant
consequences of con,ac, with it again /?
How many know that il is the 'attcuuated'
poison OF this very plant which is given
Us homeopathic physicians and nurses to
assuage several of The no, that the he-h
i, heir to? Sill fewer know that the
same poison ivy is an insignificant mem
Der of the sumach family whose leaves
the agricultural papers say are becoming
an important article OF commerce Tor
tanning purposes The poets are fall OF
illusions 10 plants. almost ali OF which
have representatives al our feet, the
purple amorpha," which LonGtcll"w
speaks OF. blooms on all the prairles n
great pyoiusion; the school. boy iobs The
compass" of it, excluding gum; an
amaranth is one OF the mos, common and
most sturdy pig weeds" and an uu1'
traclive membe, of the 'ambrosiNs
usurps a large amount of space aioug
our neglected highways We plant ycr'
benas in our front yards. whose P:o
cenitors were natives OF South American
plains, without knowing perhaps, that
there at least half 4 dozen ditleicn, native
ycrbcnas are growing along oar fences
without culture. some OF which arc nearly
as snowy rs the Southern cxo,ics. Med
iciue and the healing art have taken
possession OF nearly AL oar native plants.
and the u.G,rrir me3.cl gives extracts
with Latin names. which 1t practical
botany were understood, would Jc sought
more on the prairics and in the woods.
than in the drug shops. rue root of the
ubiquitous May apple yield, podophiIlinc
IN, plan, frequently cA.,el Culyers
ghysic, furnishes the remedy iupu.irc ;
a,ropine is the exirac, OF uighJShade (;
sa,iciac is the extract OF willow ba,k; and
50 on.
Il is no, too late this season 10 COM
meuce the study OF plants. WIKI either
Woods. Gray's or Ais, loumau's Gle
meuury text books, an ordinary person.
without; q teacher. may begin she study
OF The science aud make good ploSrcss
The earlier textbook, we;c cucumbeicI
with talk about "b,a,tema" aud the ",el.
theory" which rendered tine study iar
midab.e, iu, these subjects have now
been remauded TO more advanced hos,
and 20 Jhe department ci microscopic
botany. where they belong.
The next two months wi. Toe ahIaze
with golden rods, asteIs and iobeiias. loo
the low ground, The "a,ue lr.nsed
gcu,;4u~ viii be found, and the grass oil
Parat>,u,; hundreds OF different lobiatc
plants will challenge the attention ON bin
asI plain; and while these are more
difficult oi analysis than some OF goo,
earlier plants OF spring and summer,
they yet can lie readily understood by Tic
earnest student. There mauy dweieg
in the dusty city THAI longs Tor just such
opportunities as the farmer constantly
ha, FOR the pursui. ot 81 science that pre-
emineu,.y leads is yo,arie, up through
nature 10 natures Cod htcqJ7 Adt1'
/ c1'e.