PREFA.CE. V 



Malope grandiflora. I had never seen the plant 

 before, and I eagerly asked the name. "It is 

 some Malvaceoiis plant," answered Mr. Loudon, 

 carelessly ; and immediately afterwards he left 

 me to look at some trees which he was about to 

 have drawn for his Arboretum Britannicum. 

 " Some Malvaceous plant," thought I, as I con- 

 tinued looking at the splendid bed before me ; 

 and then I remembered how much the form of 

 these beautiful flowers resembled that of the 

 flowers of the crimson Mallow, the botanical 

 name of which I recollected wasMalva. " I wish 

 I could find out some other Malvaceous plant,'' I 

 thought to myself; and when we soon afterwards 

 walked through the hothouses, I continued to 

 ask if the Chinese Hibiscus, which I saw in 

 flower there, did not belong to Malvaceae. 

 I was answered in the affirmative ; and I was so 

 pleased with my newly-acquired knowledge, 

 that I was not satisfied till I had discovered 

 every Malvaceous plant that was in flower in 

 the garden. I next learned to know the Crucife- 

 rous and Umbelliferous plants ; and thus I 

 acquired a general knowledge of three extensive 



