PREFACE. Vil 



passing through the press, I received through the kind- 

 ness of Mr, Albert R. Fox of Sand Lake, a catalogue 

 of the plants found by Dr. Houghton, now of Detroit, * 

 in his interesting tottr to the sources of the Mississippi. 



This work "being intended as a text-book for the be- 

 ginner, as well as a convenient manual for the more ad- 

 vanced botanist, I have added a Sketch of the. Rudi- 

 ments of Botany, drawn chiefly from Prof. Lindley's 

 Outlines, and the article in the Encyclopaedia, to which 

 I have before referred; a Glossary of Terms, and a 

 Table of the Linnsean Classes and Orders. And to ac- 

 commodate those who wish to investigate plants accord- 

 ing to the Artificial System, a Synopsis, of the 'Genera is 

 also introduced, containing under each genus a reference 

 to the Natural Order, and the page where the species 

 are described. I have not introduced any cultivated 

 exotics, for the reasons, 1st, that it would have materi- 

 ally increased the size and expense of the work ; and 

 2dly, that observation has satisfied me of the injurious 

 effects, of commencing the study of botany with the ex- 

 amination of plants, which are often so much changed 

 in their characters by a difference of climate, soil, culti- 

 vation, &c. ..' 



It only remains for. me to present' my acknowledg- 

 ments to those individuals who' have -afforded me assist- 

 ance and encouragement, in the prosecution of my de- 

 sign. To. the Rev. L D. de Schweinitz; I am under 

 particular obligations, for the important aid which he 

 has rendered. Nor should I omit to. .mention, that I 

 am indebted to Dr. Asa Gray, of Utica, for much in- 

 teresting information concerning the Botany 'of Western 

 New-York, In all cases it has been my object to give 

 due credit for every new or interesting fact which has 

 been communicated to me. 



ALBANY, 



