334 ON VERNACULAR NAMES. 
nations, will find proper names for almost every plant, and an almost, 
or even an entire absence of such generic or collective names as would 
be welcomed by the botanist,—and for this simple reason, that such 
generic terms can only spring up amongst people after they have com- 
menced to generalize, and must not be sought for where philosophical 
thought has not yet penetrated. This I maintain, with a collection of 
no less than 30,000 vernacular names by my side,—all alphabetically 
arranged 
Mr. Collins, in quoting certain parts of the preface of my *Nomencla- 
ture of the American Flora,’ paraphrases them in such a way (though 
putting them between marks of quotation) that I am made to say very 
different things to what I actually did say. I never hinted that a 
vernacular name could possibly be “the end of inquiry itself." I 
stated merely : “ A well-arranged synopsis of the vernacular with the 
corresponding scientific names would prove highly useful. . . . The 
medical man, the chemist, the traveller [the merchant], in fine, any one 
coming in contact with the vegetable kingdom, would be equally 
benefited. By simply asking the native name, they would instantly 
have the scientifie appellation, the hey to further inquiries. Occasional 
mistakes may indeed occur, but these are the exception, not the rule.” 
I regret, with Mr. Collins, that vernacular names are frequently 
misapplied by traders and others, though, in proportion, probably not 
more so than scientific ones. Much that is at present unsatisfactory 
about them would be set aside if we had a code of laws for them 
as we now have, thanks to the illustrious Alph. de Candolle, for our 
scientific nomenclature. But until then there will be much miscon- 
ception and slovenly work. To travel no further, we have as yet not 
even a complete collection of the popular names of the British Flora, 
the so-called English book-names being often quite worthless render- 
ings of scientific names, not such as are used by the people ; and Mr. 
Britten and friend* will do good service if they collect them from the 
lips of the people. 
* The two = issued the following advertisement :— 
* Locat NAMES.—It is desired to collec 
nam: t as man as possible of the local 
ers British plants; and istance equested of all who take an 
interest in ova , or who may have the opportunity of taini 
W., E ie ies uh . James Britten, Royal Herbarium, Kew, 
t re- 
nite and ackn ararken nd, Mobberley, Knutsford, will be thankfully 
