PEEFACE. 



HIS work was suggested to the author during the 

 preparation of his larger work, entitled &quot;PALES- 

 TINE, PAST AND PRESENT,&quot; and although 

 flowers of Syria are noticed and illustrated 

 therein, they are not specially associated with 



scriptural allusions, nor so particularly treated upon. 

 ]\ The object of the present volume is to identify 

 scriptural plants with the existing plants of Syria, 

 or with those mentioned and described in the writ 

 ings of early Greek and Latin physicians, botanists, 

 naturalists, together with such historical and 

 botanical notices as may be of special interest. 

 A list has been added of some of the plants and flowers fre 

 quently found at the present time in the Holy Land. 



&quot;While the author has presented in many places the results of his 

 own historical investigations and of his personal examinations of 

 native plants in the country itself, he has freely availed himself 

 of all the information to be obtained from many reliable sources. 

 Several of the illustrations are directly from natural specimens, 

 and all are from high authorities. The author would express his 

 obligations to CAPT. &quot;W. F. LYNCH, TJ.S.N&quot;., for several suggestions, 

 and for the repeated loans of unpublished drawings and paintings, 



