PREFACE TO THE SECOND EDITION. 



THIS volume is intended as a Class-book for the beginner, 

 and a convenient Manual for the more advanced botanist. It 

 contains scientific and popular descriptions of the Flowering 

 and Fern-like plants found in the United States north of Vir- 

 ginia, with their English names, and brief notices of their uses. 

 The arrangement is according to the Natural System, which is 

 now so generally adopted in works of this kind. But in order 

 to secure all the advantages of the Linnaean system, a Synopsis 

 of the Genera in accordance with it is prefixed, containing 

 references to the Natural Orders, and to the page where the 

 species are described. And fully to carry out the design of 

 the work, there have also been introduced, a Sketch of the 

 Rudiments of Botany, a Glossary of Botanical Terms, and a 

 Table explanatory of the Linnaean Classes and Orders. 



While the original plan of the work has been adhered to, 

 I have endeavored, in this edition, to bring it up to the present 

 advanced state of botanical science. There is scarcely a page 

 which has not been amended, and many parts have been entirely 

 re- written. Brevity has in all cases been consulted, as far as 

 was deemed consistent with that clearness of description so 

 important in the study of plants. 



In the names and characters of the Natural Orders, I have 

 chiefly followed Dr. Lindley's late work, entitled " The Vege- 

 table Kingdom ;" although the general arrangement adopted in 

 the first edition has not been materially changed. I should 

 also particularly acknowledge my indebtedness to De Candolle's 

 "Prodromus" (10 vols.), Torrey and Gray's "Flora of North 

 America," Torrey's " Flora of the State of New York," and 



