The P R E F A C E. 
Culture and Ufis, to afl Deligbters In Planting and Cardetiing ; and it is to Him 
ibat me are greatly indebted for many valnabls Trees and ‘Planis ntbicb ernieb 
tbis Calabgue, and oshicb ace tabe tbe Liberty tbus ptiblickly to acknoovledge, 
and return bini and otbers our bearty Tbanhs for. 
And after nteutioning tbe particular Perfons to ovbam England is tbus indebted 
for introducing fo many valtiable Trccs, Plants, Flowers, and Frults, me cannot iu 
'Jttjlice omit to tnentim tbe Ejlablifbing of tbe Publick Botanick Gardcn at Chclfea, 
ly tbe Worfliipful Company of Apothccarics of London, not only for tbe Inftru- 
tlion of fnch as /bould be cnpioyd in tbe compotmding of Medicines, in tbe parti- 
ad.tr Simples therein ufid (mbich alane is a very laudable ‘Deflgn) luit alfo for 
introdtuing jlill a grcalcr larietyof Trees and Plams, nbicb altbo' tbeir Virtues 
or Ufes are not at prcfent htcrsn, yet may bereafter be found of excellent Ufe for 
many Pttrpofes in Life. 
Ii i sides tbefe Advautages, tbere are otber very great ottes tbal arifefrom tbefe 
Publick Gardens ; as, Pirjl, tbe afeertaining tbe trtte Name of eacb particular 
Species ly oxbich it is kntomn among/l tbe BolaniJIs in all tbe different Parts af 
F.utopc, ncbicb ean te no otbcrmife effetled tban ly ejlablifbing a Correfpondenie 
mitb all tbe Profeffors of ibat Science, avhereby tbe Errors of eacb otber are cor- 
relled, as alfo tbofe of former Botanick 11'riters, ovbo for Want af tbe Opportunity 
of cultivating tbe Planis in Gardens of avbich tbey bove mote, bove very ofteu 
givcn tovo differat Names to tbe fame Piant, from tbe different Appearames tbey 
b.ne olferved in it, in different Situalions or Seafons. And, Sccondly, ibis is 
tbe moft probable Melhod of comme to tbe Knowledge of tbe Materia Medica of 
tbe Antients, vehere tbere is any ttderabh ‘Defiriptious or Accotints of tbe Simplcs 
left to trace it ly ; for here is full Opportunity for Perfons 0] Learning and 
yndgmenl to cont amplate tbe exatl Strnilure of tbeir Parts, wbicb tbey cannot 
fo meli perform in a curfory Piem, as tbey obferve them in tbeir natura/ Places 
nf Groovlb ; nt bicb is a Matter of no fmall Coucern : Belides tbe Trouble favd to 
tbefe ibo are intended for tbe Pratlice of Pbyfick (ly bringing inio a fmall 
Compafi tbe Planis in commoti Ufe) is very conjiderable, for in tbe Space of a 
Seajin or taro, tbey may, ncitb a moderate Application, be 'ire// acquainted mtb all 
tbeir different Paces, fo as not to be impos d on by Perfons ibo fupply tbe Markets 
witb Planis-, vebereas if tbey avere to fearch them onl in tbeir natttral Places of 
Groastb, tbis could not be effciled in lefs tban fsx or feven Tcars-, and it is on 
tbefe Accotmls ibat tbe Nnniber of tbefe Gardens abroad has fo tmtcb i ocreas’d. 
Ibo’, to tbe ‘Difbonottr of our mvn Country, tbere is but one of tbefe Gardens in 
England at prefent ibat deferves namtng, nvbicb is Tbat ove bove been fpeaking 
of, ocbicb reas not only founded (but is alfo maintained) at tbe Expence of tbat 
Worlhiptul Body beforc mcntMd. 
And bere ace mtif take notiee of tbat generons Gift of tbe above-nicntion'd 
Garden to tbe Company of Apothccaries, by Sir Hans Sloanc, Bart. oebo batb made 
over tbeftid Gardcn for ever to tbe faid Company to be kept up for tbe Imptove- 
utent of Botany 5 ocbicb generous Prefent, togetber otitb bis affijling and encou- 
raging all tbofe ovho ntake Botany tbeir Study, has laid all tbe Lovers of tbat 
.Science under tbe grcatejl Obligation Io bis Perfon, and it may be hoped, if tbe 
faid Garden meeis nciib Encouragemenl, tbat it nili iit a Jbort Time ontvie all 
tbe Gardens of Ibat Kind in Europe. 
IT orotild be too tedions here to mention tbe feveral otber Patriots of Horticul- 
ture {orbo bave eitlier added to our Calleliions from abroad, or baose affijled in 
tracing ont tbe variatis Operations of vegetative Piature tbro’ ber many intricate 
