In determining leading forms, or types, on the individual beauty, the distribution, and the grouping of which the physiognomy of the vegetation of a country depends, we must not follow the march of systems of botany, in which from other motives the parts chiefly regarded are the smaller organs of propagation, the flowers and the fruit; we must, on the contrary, consider solely that which by its mass stamps a peculiar character on the total impression produced, or on the aspect of the country. Among the leading forms of vegetation to which I allude, there are, indeed, some which coincide with families belonging to the “natural systems” of botanists. Such are the forms of bananas, palms, Casuarinæ, and Coniferæ. But the botanic system divides many groups which the physiognomist is obliged to unite. [Illustration: Herbs, Useful and Medicinal 1, Myrtle; 2, Myrrh; 3, Hemlock; 4, Wormwood; 5, Frankincense; 6, Hyssop] We will begin with the palms, the loftiest and noblest of all vegetable forms, that to which the prize of beauty has been assigned by the concurrent voice of nations in all ages; for the earliest civilization of mankind belonged to countries bordering on the region of palms, and to parts of Asia where they abound. Their lofty, slender, ringed, and, in some cases, prickly stems terminate in aspiring and shining either fan-like or pinnated foliage. The leaves are frequently curled, like those of some Gramineæ. Smooth, polished stems of palms carefully measured by me had attained 192 English feet in height. In receding from the equator and approaching the temperate zone, palms diminish in height and beauty. The indigenous vegetation of Europe only comprises a single representative of this form of plants, the sea-coast dwarf-palm or Chamærops, which in Spain and Italy extends as far north as the 44th parallel of latitude. The true climate of palms has a mean annual temperature of 78°.2-81°.5 Fahr. The date, which is much inferior in beauty to several other genera, has been brought from Africa to the south of Europe, where it lives, but can scarcely be said to flourish, in a mean temperature not exceeding 59°-62°.4 Fahr. In all parts of the globe the palm form is accompanied by that of plantains or bananas; the Scitamineæ and Musaceæ of botanists, Heliconia, Amomum, and Strelitzia. In this form, the stems, which are low, succulent, and almost herbaceous, are surmounted by long, silky, delicately veined leaves of a thin, loose texture, and bright and beautiful verdure. Groves of plantains and bananas form the ornament of moist places in the equatorial regions.