Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1875-06-09
Botany for Young Folks.

ny a. ".
Botany is the science which treats of the
vegetable kingdom; but space forbids long
and full abstract of the science; so propose
to give a hasty review Of the more common
phenomena Of the growth Of plants aud trees,
and then to pass to descriptions Of common
plants and flowers, such as are familiar to
school children.
Trees have a perennial woody stem which
does not divide into branches for a certain
distance above the ground.
Shrubs and understands have woody stems
dividing near the ground
Plants are not woody, and have an annual
or perennial root, producing stems above the
ground, which are of annual duration. The
stem is at first only bud, but it divides
into branches by first producing other buds
The terminal bud produces growth upward
forming a simple plant. Ike MULLEN. If the
buds ia the axil Of each leaf push out into
branches the stem will be brauched That
point where the leaf and its auxiliary bud is
produced is called the node. and the spaces
between, the interuodes
The leaves, and all other appeudagcs OF
plants, are arranged with great symmetry
and order, generally being arranged yiailS
or in a winding manner. Leaves are alter
nate whore only a single bud arises at each
node, and opposite when twoarise. If three
or moro arise from the same node they are
said TO Doe yerticilate, or whorled The op
posite leaves are two ,pirals, and the alter
nate bat one. Take potato vine or poplar
shoot and commence at the lower leaf anC
draw % line TO the next above it, then TO th,
next, and SO ON, and at the sixth leaf W,
shall have gone once around the stem
| Leaves are called radical when they grow
/ from or below the surface of the ground an,
cauline, when from the stem. The stem o.
| plant serves to convey the sap from the roo
to the opposite extremity, and the leave
perform theotHce of respiration and digestion
At the eud of spring the sap of trees ant
shrubs becomes a viscid and glutinous mat
ter, and is deposited between the wood an,
/ the inner bark or libeI, forming a new laye
oil WOOD. he sap having a'cenueo 70 'n
leaves, is there decomposed into a certain
huid eaiied AUX, ana 'leh u'scenus py TN
tissues OIL lhe lloer' OF inner DARK par
being carried 'h"atu' ny inc hotWork o
vessels Communicating WIN ID ana 'le res
descending to the roots, where the peculia
sta,,npte ro,uirn1 for fbo orrov.th of thn pla n
elements required Ior 'he grown OIL Tue pi"''
are selected Tor It's use
III carry spring tle leuBes are cio'leu II
beauty 10y the abundance oil Lafly SsNiirag'
ltls small inconspicuous plant win ilesh
leaves ana mower stalk iour 10 tweiv
liioIles hign' crowned W'th Il cluster OIL III
mute MOVERS "l'te OF Slightly purple Mex
comes the Aneinone OF liVerwort hep'
hca hIiood' ana II IS among our pretue'
via mowers ana oellS trahsplah'ed 10 III
garden becomes ao"ole, ne leaves are a
RADICAL evergreen ana 'rree-looed' "hio
suggests It's botanic name Inc mowers al
sa'd TO DC soli'ary' as only one Is borne on
stem ihey are seneraliy oiue' pu' sof'''
times Whi'e OF purple
Nlo'ner mower cioS'ly rese'''p''ns "
.ne C'"y'on''' OF sprung o'aU'y' ne 'o'
Is tuo'rcu'al' ana ouiIeu III 'le sloui' "'
depth equal To the height oil the pan
Leaves are few or none and flowers are in
cluster ON a weak, branching stem two
three inches high, beautifully pencilled wit
purple
The Trailing Arbntu'' or May flower is
shrubby little plant, HAT upon the groun'