50 .7 73 ^1 M-.l 



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PREFACE. 



THIS little volume, the first part of a more extensive work on the 

 Natural History of La Salie county, has been prepared and 

 published for the purpose of making the results of the author's 

 studies and observations accessible to all who are interested in these 

 subjects. It was begun some years ago, then abandoned and resumed 

 at the earnest persuasion of Proi. R. Williams, to be again dropped 

 for a time and completed under unfavorable and discouraging cir- 

 cumstances and but for the kindness and encouragement of a few 

 real friends would never have been completed. 



This bootc is designed to be a complete catalogue of the plants of 

 La Salle county, including the Filices or Ferns. The Mosses, Liver- 

 worts, Lichens or Fungi, as far as we are familiar with them, will be 

 given in Part II, Part I having already greatly exceeded the limits 

 assigned to it. Part II will also contain articles on the Geology, Min- 

 eralogy, Zoology in its various departments, Physical Geography, etc., 

 and together they will present as full a presentation of the natural 

 history of the county as is at present possible. 



To Prof. Rinaldo Williams of Streator, Prof. Henry L. Boltwood 

 of Evanston.and Mr. Charles F. Johnson of Freeport, late of Mar- 

 seilles, we are under many obligations for advice and aid; also to 

 Messrs. John F. Nash, C. B Chapman, L. A. Williams, J. L. Thomas, 

 Giles Roberts, Shaw & Hickling, Kneussl Bros., Charles A. Williams, 

 late of this city, now of Chicago, and last but by no means least Rev. 

 H. H. Gregg, Jr., and Rev. J. P. Hiester of Farm Ridge, for many 

 favors. 



We regret that there are many typographical errors but the more 

 important of these are noted in the Errata and others are so obvious 

 as to need no comment. 



Tne first catalogue of the plants of La Salle county was prepared 

 by Prof. R. Williams and published in Baldwin's History of La Salle 

 county in 1877, pp. 48(5 502 inc., giving the names of 592 plants be- 

 longing to 101 orders. A second was published in the Ottawa Repub- 

 lican by Prof Boltwood 18834, giving the names of 7(52 species and 

 varieties; a third was published by Mr. C. F. Johnson about 1895 

 giving the names of (565 species and varieties, and. this volume gives 

 about 1,030 species and varieties belonging to 340 orders. Gray's 

 Manual (5th Ed. describes 3,157 species belonging to 853 orders. The 

 Hora of La Salle county therefore is about one third that of the Unite d 

 States north of the south line of Tennessee and east of the 100th 

 Meridian. 



