TO THE 



HONOURABLE THE COURT OF DIRECTORS 



OF THE 



EAST INDIA COMPANY, 



AS A TESTIMONY OF THE IMPORTANT SERVICES RENDERED TO 



SCIENCE 



IN THEIR PRINCELY PATRONAGE OF 



BOTANY, 



BY WHICH THE PLANTS OF THE VAST POSSESSIONS UNDER 



THEIR SWAY, 



ESrBClALLY THE MORE INTERESTING AND USEFUL KINDS, 



HAVE BEEN MADE KNOWN AND MUNinCENTLY DISTRIBUTED 



THROUGHOUT THE WHOLE CIVILIZED WORLD, 



THE PRESENT WORK IS DEDICATED, 



WITH SENTIMENTS OF THE HIGHEST ADMIRATION AND ESTEEM, 



BY THEIR OBEDIENT AND VERY HUMBLE SERVANT, 



W. J. HOOKER, LL.D. 



REGIUS PROFESSOR OF BOTANY IN THE UNIVERSITY OF GLASGOW, 



