vi PREFACE 



work out any of the examples it suggests, will then 

 have learnt so much for themselves that they will 

 be able to profit by more learned books and more 

 copious lists of flowers. 



The large quantity of pictorial illustration is in 

 itself helpful teaching. " I like a book with pictures " 

 is not only an idle speech of those who open a book 

 in order to enjoy the trivial intellectual tickling of the 

 thing actually represented ; but the illustrations are 

 of distinct educational value, in that they present 

 aspects of things beautiful, or of matters desirable 

 for practice, much more vividly than can be done 

 by the unpictured text. 



I am indebted to the proprietors of The Garden for 

 the use of some of the illustrations, and for a valuable 

 list of plants and other particulars communicated to 

 that journal by Mr. Correvon of Geneva ; also to the 

 proprietors of Country Life for a still larger number 

 of subjects for illustration ; to Mr. G. F. Wilson of 

 Weybridge and Wisley for several photographs for 

 reproduction ; and to Mr. W. Robinson for two 

 photographs of unusual interest. I have also to 

 acknowledge the kind help of Mr. James Hudson, 

 who compiled the list of Water-Lilies at the end of 

 the last chapter. 



In some cases I have made critical observations 



