CONTENTS
| CHAPTER | ||
| I. | No Two Plants or Parts are Alike | [1] |
| II. | The Struggle to Live | [4] |
| III. | Survival of the Fit | [7] |
| IV. | Plant Societies | [9] |
| V. | The Plant Body | [15] |
| VI. | Seeds and Germination | [20] |
| VII. | The Root—The Forms of Roots | [32] |
| VIII. | The Root—Function and Structure | [38] |
| IX. | The Stem—Kinds and Forms—Pruning | [49] |
| X. | The Stem—Its General Structure | [59] |
| XI. | Leaves—Form and Position | [73] |
| XII. | Leaves—Structure and Anatomy | [86] |
| XIII. | Leaves—Function or Work | [92] |
| XIV. | Dependent Plants | [106] |
| XV. | Winter and Dormant Buds | [111] |
| XVI. | Bud Propagation | [121] |
| XVII. | How Plants Climb | [129] |
| XVIII. | The Flower—Its Parts and Forms | [133] |
| XIX. | The Flower—Fertilization and Pollination | [144] |
| XX. | Flower-clusters | [155] |
| XXI. | Fruits | [163] |
| XXII. | Dispersal of Seeds | [172] |
| XXIII. | Phenogams and Cryptogams | [176] |
| XXIV. | Studies in Cryptogams | [182] |
| Index | [205] | |
BEGINNERS’ BOTANY
CHAPTER I
NO TWO PLANTS OR PARTS ARE ALIKE
Fig. 1.—No Two Branches are Alike.
(Hemlock.)
If one compares any two plants of the same kind ever so closely, it will be found that they differ from each other. The difference is apparent in size, form, colour, mode of branching, number of leaves, number of flowers, vigour, season of maturity, and the like; or, in other words, all plants and animals vary from an assumed or standard type.
If one compares any two branches or twigs on a tree, it will be found that they differ in size, age, form, vigour, and in other ways (Fig. [1]).
If one compares any two leaves, it will be found that they are unlike in size, shape, colour, veining, hairiness, markings, cut of the margins, or other small features. In some cases (as in Fig. [2]) the differences are so great as to be readily seen in a small black-and-white drawing.
If the pupil extends his observation to animals, he will still find the same truth; for probably no two living objects are exact duplicates. If any person finds two objects that he thinks to be exactly alike, let him set to work to discover the differences, remembering that nothing in nature is so small or apparently trivial as to be overlooked.