The Washington times., 1895-06-19
BEAUTIES OF BOTANY.

The study of botany in the high school
is pursued under peculiar advantages
The native vegetation is unusually rich.
The parks furnish abundant material to
illustrate forms not native here. The
officials OF the 9arks, Botanic Garden and
Agricultural DEPARTMENT have extended
many courtesies F. iRe school and furnished
much material fer the work
The student cemnlenceS botany in the
third year BY ahel study OF types from
the lowest plant tasth highest towering
the entire yearE acquaintance is secured
with the most inpestant notifications of
plant life. BY Ghe comparative study of
the different pa1s or plants from the seed
and its gcrninauoH to the fruit the varia-
tions of form aad function both external
and internal are made familiar, the re-
lationships between plants developed, and
the adaptions ttaced existing between a
plant ana It's surroundings
During the yearth classification of
plants is gradually tsyoriling itself out in
the students min6f nd after following the
spring procession Of the District flowers
he is in position 40 use independently
the various nlaIiualss FOR the identification
OF plants.
The work may becontinued through the
fourth year of the course. In this second
year 0i DDtans'ai work the flOTcrleSs plants
plant life COllected daring the summer are
studied and the ierns OF tue District ilives-
tigated A course OF experimental plant
physiology is carried out by the student
and opportunity Offered 10 work up special
questions. The parks and trees OF the
city have been carefully stuGied by the
students in this course
To carry out these lines OF work q large
amount OF fresh and preserved material is
used. Excursions are frequently made
and considered very important part of the
course
The laboratory sequipped withcompound
microscopes and possesses very extensive
hcrbarum of the District plants collected
b. Mr.. + $ Burgess. who was, till recently,
at the head OF the botanical department. and
who brought the work 10 a high state of
efficiency
With regard TO the objects attained the
students Were requested TO write in the
regular class work and what they thought
had been gained by them in the years
work. The following are two of the many
excellent ones Tece1yed-one from q lady
and one from a gentleman:
Il have gained power of observation
never possessed by me before and a knowl-
edge of the habits and growth of plants.
Botany has opened for me a new world
full OF beauty and fragrance. l have al
ways loved flowers, simply for themselves,
Dul HOW lHdb lteitilS ndS Deen increased
and deepened by the understanding of the
completeness of the minute dctails-the
perfection of the complex arrangements
and the marvellous power of the plant to
adapt itself TO circumstances. | have
also learned u new reverence for the Power
that has with such wonderful wisdom pre-
pared for the preservation and perpctuation
of the Flower.
There is no study which tends to
broaden the mind and sharpen the in
teliect more than the study of science, and
there is no science which exercises the
powers OF observation SO thoroughly and
calls for such care in investigation as
the science of botany. Before [ under
took the study of botany. vegetation and
nature were a perfect maze of green with
no differences and no interesting like
neSseS. But on pursuing the study for
some months things began to change. 1
began to closely watch the budding of
different plants 10 see wherein theydiffered
and what the relationships might be from
outside appearances. Soon the observa-
tion powers were so strengthened that 1
was almost able TO classify plants en-
tireiy unfamiliar by comparing them with
familiar forms. Then, too, nature began
to have a different aspect The mystery
passed away and began to see the Won
ders and to love the gTandness of nature.
Thus l may briefly and truly say that my
chief benefits frotn botany are: Increased
powers of observation, a love of nature
and an increasing passion to continue the
study in years to0come.''
2 L. NJ. PRINDLE.