Chapter I: Front Matter

_GLIMPSES INTO PLANT-LIFE_

_BY THE SAME AUTHOR._

=WILD NATURE WON BY KINDNESS.= Illustrated. Seventh and Revised Edition. Crown 8vo, cloth, 5s.

“We have no space to draw particular attention to the multitude of good things to be found in this cheerful and unaffected little book, from every page of which there breathes a sincerity which is necessary to the enjoyment of such stories as these.”—_Saturday Review._

“The book is one which may be warmly recommended for the simplicity with which it is written and the power of observation which it displays.”—_Athenæum._

=MORE ABOUT WILD NATURE.= With Illustrations by the Author. Third Edition. Crown 8vo, cloth, 5s.

“No better book can be given to juvenile naturalists.”—_Graphic._

“When this delightful book, full of observation, of tenderness, and of humour, has been read, it becomes a friend, to be visited often and cherished much.”—_World._

=INMATES OF MY HOUSE AND GARDEN.= Illustrated by +Theo. Carreras+. Crown 8vo, cloth, 3s. 6d.

“This is a charming book, and prettily illustrated.”—_Spectator._

“A charming series of sketches.”—_Times._

LONDON: T. FISHER UNWIN.

GLIMPSES
INTO PLANT-LIFE

_AN EASY GUIDE TO THE STUDY
OF BOTANY_

BY
MRS. BRIGHTWEN, F.E.S.
_Author of “Wild Nature Won by Kindness,” &c._

WITH ILLUSTRATIONS BY THE AUTHOR AND
THEO. CARRERAS

London
T. FISHER UNWIN
PATERNOSTER SQUARE
1897

[_All rights reserved._]

To
SIR JOSEPH DALTON HOOKER,
K.C.S.I., P.P.R.S., D.C.L., LL.D., ETC.,
_Formerly Director of the Royal Gardens, Kew_.

+Dear Sir Joseph Hooker+,—

In conversation with you I have often been impressed by your conviction of the importance of inducing young people to observe the elementary facts of botany, and I have heard you express your admiration of the efforts made in this direction, in an earlier generation, by that distinguished botanist, Prof. Henslow. You have assured me of your sense of the value of independent observations made by young students, for themselves, in the simplest and clearest language.

By your own example the studies of beginners have often been led in this direction, but in this little book, which I have ventured to produce, and of which you have kindly accepted the dedication, I have not attempted to compete with even your least ambitious flights.

All I have endeavoured to do is to prepare the minds of young people for the study of botany by explaining in the simplest language some of the elementary phenomena of plant-life. It is an humble experiment, but made, as I believe, on lines which are novel so far as they go, and essentially practical.

If, as is too likely to be the case, I have fallen into any technical errors, your good nature must not be held responsible for my fault.

Believe me to be,
Yours very sincerely,
ELIZA BRIGHTWEN.

_April, 1897._

⁂ _The greater portion of this work has
appeared in serial form in “The
Girl’s Own Paper.”_