VIU PREFACE 



but for these usually no precise locality is given, in order to avoid 

 the destruction of the rarer species. 



Besides giving the distribution of plants through Berkshire. 

 1 have endeavoured to recount the histoiy of their discoveiy in 

 the county ; for this purpose I have made an arduous search 

 through botanical literature since the publication of Turner"? 

 Herbal in 1551. The great public Herbaria of the British Museum 

 at South Kensington, the Oxford University Herbarium, and that 

 of Sir James E. Smith in the custody of the Linnean Society, have 

 ])een examined, and much information has been obtained from MSS. 

 in the British Museum, the Bodleian, in the Library of Magdalen 

 College, Oxford, and in that of the Oxford Botanic Garden. 

 To the keepers of the above institutions, especially to Professor 

 Vines. I am indebted for the requisite permission to examine 

 their treasures. To my friend Mr. Garnsey, of Magdalen College, 

 Oxford, I cannot sufficiently express my sense of indebtedness for 

 the immense help and almost unceasing assistance he has given 

 me in revising my MS. and examining the proofs. My friend 

 Mr. F. Tufnail, of Reading, has also been most kind and painstaking 

 in reading the MS. and proof-sheets, in preparing lists of plants 

 seen about Reading and Mortimer, and in generously giving critical 

 advice and assistance. Mr. W. A. Clarke and Mr. F. T. Richards 

 have also assisted in reading some portions of the proof-sheets. The 

 late Professor A. H. Green, whose premature death we have such 

 reason to deplore, kindly revised ray sketch of the geology of the 

 county, and Mr. Stone, the late Radcliife Observer, gave me the 

 figures used in the compilation of the meteorological tables. 



For assistance in examining critical species I am indebted to 

 M. Crepin of Brussels, Dr. Focke of Bremen, Professor Hackel of 

 St. Poelton, Dr. Lange of Copenhagen, Dr. R. von Wettstein and 

 Professor A. Kerner von Marilaun of Vienna, Herr Freyn of 

 Prague, Professor Ascherson of Berlin, the Abbe Strail of Fond;? 

 de Foret, Belgium, the late M. Alphonse de CandoUe of Geneva, 

 Professor FiUgler of Breslau, Professor Greene of Washington. 



