iv. PREFACE of the TRANSLATORS. 



the like. For the explanation of thefe we refer the 

 reader to the BOTANICAL TERMS and DEFI- 

 NITIONS prefixed to this work; which we have 

 tranflated from a thefis of Dr. Elmgren, written 

 under the eye of Linneus, and publifhed by him in 

 the lixth volume of the Amcenitates Academicce, 



The determining the exact number of thefe words, 

 necerlary to be naturalifed into our language, was a 

 tafk of much nicety and confideration. We were 

 afraid of rendering our work difficult to the en^lifh 

 reader, if we introduced many innovations, or did 

 much violence to our vernacular tongue; or of making 

 it unintelligible to the latin Botanift, if we were too 

 parfimonious in the engraftment or tranfplantation of 

 exotic terms. We hope we have freered between thefe 

 two extremes, for we have had the opinion of 

 many and of fkilful pilots to direct our voyage ; the ce- 

 lebrated Mr. Rosseau, in a Pofthumous Botanical 

 work had adopted a iimilar plan -, and has attempted 

 to naturalife into the french language many of the 

 technical words of Linneus ; as corymbe, panicle, cyme, 

 filique, filicle, fpathe, perianth, and many others, 

 which we hope will not be more diffonant to an eng- 

 lifh ear than to a french one. 



Linneus has arranged the individuals, or Species, 

 of vegetables into families, or Genera-, and thefe again 

 into Orders and Claffes; As there are fo few generic 

 names in our language, we have univerfally adopted thofe 

 of our author ; thus the words 'Triticum, Hordeum, 

 Avena, Secale are family names ; which include variety 

 of other grailes, as well as the Wheat, Barley, Oats, 

 and Rye, which we cultivate for our food : the generic 



name 



