x PREFACE. 



to undertake the completion of the work, and this was rendered un- 

 necessary by the fortunate arrangement with the New York Bot- 

 anical Garden, by which Dr. Rydberg took our collection for naming, 

 and undertook the preparation of the Flora for publication. With 

 the facilities of the Garden and the cordial aid given by Dr. Britton 

 and Dr. Rydberg, and the special knowledge of Rocky Mountain 

 Botany of Dr. Rydberg, it became possible to make this include 

 much more than our own collection, which had been the original idea. 

 The unrivaled and almost exhaustive collections accessible to them, 

 the completeness of the knowledge of Dr. Rydberg, have made this 

 a much more extensive and consequently much more valuable work 

 than was originally designed. It therefore includes the work of nearly 

 all collectors from the earliest times, and may be considered an 

 exhaustive list of the plants at present known in Colorado. The 

 extent of the service may be recognized when it is stated that while 

 our own collection numbered about 1,400 plants, this Flora includes 

 2,912, a number greater than is known for any other State except 

 California. The amount of work involved in its preparation, sup- 

 plying keys to the genera and families, and the completeness of the 

 work speak for themselves. 



Acknowledgment should also be gratefully given to the State 

 Board of Agriculture, and especially to Hon. P. F. Sharp, President 

 of the Board, without whose assistance, encouragement and financial 

 aid it would not have been possible for the Station to consider the 

 completion and publication of a work of such magnitude. At one 

 time it was proposed to lessen the expense by issuing a part of the 

 edition as a College bulletin at a fixed price, but the Board took the 

 liberal view that the saving would not compensate for the other dis- 

 advantages and that the generous friendliness of the State would jus- 

 tify the special effort in putting this at the service of those needing 

 it, and thus the Station is enabled to issue the Flora as one of its 

 bulletin series. It is believed that the publication will be of use to 

 all systematic botanists, to the schools of the State, to those inter- 

 ested in the economic study of Colorado plants, as well as to all those 

 interested in the fascinating Flora of the Plains and Mountains of 

 Colorado. It is a necessary step in the systematic and economic 

 study of our plants. 



The preparation of the copy, keys and index has all been assumed 

 by Dr. Rydberg, and also the laborious task of reading the proof. 

 In addition the proof has been read by Professor Paddock and by 

 the undersigned, but in the latter case attention was directed prin- 

 cipally to the places and elevations. 



L. G. CARPENTER. 



