8 PREFACE 



successive divisions, to the group in which it will be 

 found. For this search no special study or training is 

 required beyond learning the directions, particularly 

 learning to observe the form and arrangement of the 

 leaves and flowers as they are there described. 



Peculiarities of the plants, flowers, and fruits obvious 

 to the non-botanist, but fairly constant, have been 

 selected, and botanical terms, except such as are abso- 

 lutely essential, have been avoided and replaced by 

 words in common use. 



This book is intended to supplement, not in any 

 way to compete with or to replace, other treatises on 

 the wild flowers. Among authorities other than those 

 already mentioned aid has been sought from the works 

 of Willkomm, of Emerson, and of Sargent, particu- 

 larly for facts and figures, from the botanies of Gray, 

 and of Britton and Browm. I have adhered to the 

 families and the Latin names of Gray. For other Latin 

 names and for a different classification, Britton and 

 Brown should be consulted, also Matthews' " Field Book." 



The selection of fruits is limited to a certain ntunber 

 attracting notice either on account of their general 

 distribution or their conspicuous appearance. In this 

 branch Peterson's "How to Know the Wild Fruits" 

 has been of especial assistance. 



I am under great obligation to my friend, Mr. 

 Arthur F. Benson, for suggesting the chart system in 

 place of the more cumbersome plan I had previously 

 adopted, and for arranging the charts for publication. 



The pen and ink illustrations I have made from 

 fresh specimens and from examples in the Gray Her- 

 barium, through the courtesy of Dr. Goodale. 



George L. Walton. 



Boston, 1909. 



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