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Conversations on Vegetable Physiology: Comprehending the Elements of Botany with their Application to Agriculture.
By the author of Conversations on Chemistry and Natural Philosophy. Adapted to the use of schools by J. L. Blake. Boston: Crocker & Brewster; New York: J. Leavitt, 1830. Includes index.
Although published under a man's name, this was actually written by Jane Haldiman Marcet.
This introductory book on botany is written in the format of conversations between a teacher, called Mrs. B and her students Emily and Caroline. The writer’s aim is to present botany in a way that will encourage students, and this unique format is designed to combat the usual works which are “long catalogues of scientific names.” Instead, students should “commence with vegetable physiology and the scientific names will occur, one at at time, as he passes along, till the whole are made familiar.” The organization of this work includes questions found at the bottom of each page, which address the materials presented on that page. The questions are numbered consecutively throughout the book, making them easy to assign to students. There are several color illustrations as well as four plates with sketches of botanical details. This work is interesting, not only for the information presented, but also for the teaching methods used.
Subjects: Plant physicology; Agriculture; Botany, Economic.
PAT-12