PREFACE 



Since the publication of this work, in 1829, it has been often 

 revised, and new genera and species of Southern and Western 

 plants, as well as those of more Nortliern latitudes^ have been 

 added. The Flora eAibraces descriptions of the indigenous plants 

 of the United States which the pupil will be likely to meet with, 

 especially of the Phenogamia, as well as a great proportion of 

 cultivated exotiag. 



Researches in Physiological Botany have, of late, been dili- 

 gently pursued, and the valuable discoveries recently made in 

 this department are incorporated into the present edition. 



The IS^ATURAL System of Botany will be found here fully ex- 

 hibited in all its essential features according to the method of 

 Lindley, and with full descriptions of Natural Okdeks. 



Professor Lindley, in the preface to his late valuable work on 

 the "Vegetable Kingdom," remarks, that in England little had 

 been known until recently of the labors and discoveries of the 

 scientific men out of that country^ and claims for himself little 

 more than the honor of bringing these discoveries to the notice 

 of his countrymen. 



The Author of this work, in its preparation more than twenty 

 years since, availed herself of the most valuable foreign works, 

 consulting English books less than those of the French and 

 German school of Botany, so that i-n reality much that Lindley 

 brings forward as of "foreign origin," had previously found a 

 place in this work ; as the doctrine of the metainorplwsis of 

 vegetctble organs^ the tissues of plants in structural hotany^ and 

 many of the phenomena of vegetable physiology. 



Attempts to break up the old landmarks of the science of 

 Botany, and to present it under an entirely new form, tend to 

 repel from its pursuit many of its devoted friends, and to dis- 

 courage beginners, by offering at the commencement nothing 

 which the mind can regard with pleasure. 



"ISTo one," says Lindley, "who has had experience in the prog- 

 ress of Botany as a science, can doubt that it has been more 

 impeded by the repidsive appearance of tlie names it employs, 

 than by any other cause whatever ; and that in fact this circum- 

 'stance has proved an iiwincible obstacle to its becoming the 

 serious occupation of those who are unacquainted with the 

 learned lano;na£:es." 



