PREFACE 



I AM indebted in this work for help to Mr. Harry J. Veitch, 

 Mr. P. C. M. Veitch, Mr. J. G. Veitch, Dr. Maxwell T. 

 Masters, Editor of the Gardeners' Chronicle, Mr. George 

 Nicholson, the late Curator of the Royal Gardens, Kew, who 

 revised the nomenclature ; to Sir William T. Thiselton-Dyer, 

 the late Director of Kew, for permission to photograph various 

 plants in the Royal Gardens, and to Baron Sir Henry Schroder 

 and other owners of large estates for similar kindness ; to 

 various members of the staff, past and present, and to my 

 assistant, Herman Spooner. 



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