which is appended, contains a description of about
one hundred families of the most common cultivated
and wild plants, and of the most familiar genera and
species in each family. The English names are
in all cases put in the foreground in bold type,—while
the Latin names stand modestly back, half hidden in
parentheses and Italics; and these English names are
in general very well selected,—although
we think that when two or three English names are
given to one plant, or one name to several plants,
Dr. Gray ought to indicate which name he prefers.
He allows “Dogwood” to stand without rebuke
for the poison sumac, as well as for the flowering
cornel; and gives “Winterberry” and “Black
Alder” without comment to
Prinos verticellata.
A word of preference on his part might do something
towards reforming and simplifying the popular nomenclature,
and this child’s manual is the place to utter
that word. We think also that in a second edition
of this Popular Flora it would be well to give a
popular
description of a few of the most beautiful flowers
belonging to those families which are too difficult
for the child properly to analyze. Thus, Arethusa,
Cypripedium, Pogonia, Calopogon, Spiranthes, Festuca,
Osmunda, Onoclea, Lycopodium, Polytrichum, Bryum, Marchantia,
Usnea, Parmelia, Cladonia, Agaricus, Chondrus, and
perhaps a few other genera, furnish plants so familiar
and so striking that a child will be sure to inquire
concerning them, and a general description could easily
be framed in a few words which could not mislead him
concerning them.
In writing for children, Dr. Gray seems to have put
on a new nature, in which we have a much fuller sympathy
with him than we have ever had in reading his larger
books. We do not like that cold English common
sense which seems reluctant to admit any truth in the
higher regions of thought; and we confess, that, until
we had read this little child’s book, “How
Plants Grow,” we had always suspected Dr. Gray
of leaning towards that old error, so finely exposed
by Agassiz in zooelogy, of considering genera, families,
etc., as divisions made by human skill, for human
convenience,—instead of as divisions belonging
to the Creator’s plan, as yet but partially understood
by human students.
We hope that the appearance of this masterly little
book, so finely adapted to the child’s understanding,
may have the effect of introducing botany into the
common schools. The natural taste of children
for flowers indicates clearly the propriety and utility
of giving them lessons upon botany in their earliest
years. Go into any of our New England country-schools
at this season of the year, and you will find a bouquet
of wild flowers on the teacher’s desk. Take
it up and separate it,—show each flower
to the school, tell its name, and its relationship
to other and more familiar cultivated flowers, the
characteristic sensible properties of its family, etc.,—and
you will find the younger scholars your most attentive