Xli PREFACE. 



pose, even though he should not be led to 

 pursue these subjects further by himself. 

 I have every where aimed at familiar il- 

 lustrations and examples, referring, as 

 much as possible, to plants of easy ac- 

 quisition. In the explanation of bota- 

 nical terms and characters, I have, be- 

 sides furnishing a new set of plates with 

 references to the body of the work, al- 

 ways cited a plant for my purpose by its 

 scientific name, with a reference to some 

 good and sufficient figure. For this end 

 I have generally used either my own 

 works English and Exotic Botany, all the 

 plates of which, as well as of the present 

 volume, are the performance of the same 

 excellent botanist as well as artist ; or 

 Curtis $ Magazine, much of which also 

 was drawn by Mr. Sowerby. I have 

 chosen these as the most comprehensive 

 and popular books, quoting others only 

 when these failed me, or when I had some 



