P R E F A C- E, % 



wntes are made, at the foot of each article, to every plant of the same' 

 genus, or family, v.hich may be described in the progress of the 

 work, as well as to the page and the plate of cv^vy autaority that 

 inay be quoted. 



The popular mode of alphabetical arrangement, under familiar 

 names, has" been adopted, as the most agreeable to readers in general ;;, 

 but, for the benefit of the more scientific, a c!a!>sical table will be 

 given, at the conclusion of the work, according to tbe Linnean sys- 

 tem, M'hich has been strictly adhered to, with references to the page. 

 in wh.ch each j)]ant is described. Systematic ibrms certainly yield 

 ^reat advantages to the professional student, but they only tend to 

 confuse and embarrass the general reader, though it was as easv, per- 

 iiaps more so, to have thrown the whole under a classical rather tnaa 

 aa alphabetical. arrangenjeat It is very diihcult, in a work ot this 

 nature, to steer a course that will please all. The few learned, who 

 may be judges of the science, will find fault with the least deviation 

 from system; , others will be inclined to condemn the work, bee luse 

 too much of it, is occupied by scientific and, to them, unintelligible 

 terms. In attempting to |)lease both, it may so hajjpen that neither 

 will be satisfied, and it is jwobable that a strictly popular form was the 

 most likely to succeed, lie this as it may, aii attempt has been made 

 Jo uuite both objects. . 



Aware of the great difficulty of such an undertaking, so general 

 in its plan, so uncerLain in many of its minutia?, the compiler feels, 

 that, with all the attention in liis power, mistakes will be committed; 

 he, nevertheless, trusts to the liberality of the public for indulgence, 

 to the better iriibnncd for correction ; and let it be reiiieiiibered, that 



his 



