PREFACE. 



THIS Abridgement of the Arboretum et Fruticetum Britannicum contains . 



1. Characters and short Popular Descriptions of all the species and 

 varieties of hardy trees and shrubs now in British gardens, with directions 

 for their culture; including the soil most suitable for them, their pro- 

 pagation, and their uses in the arts, &c. 



2. Engravings of all the species which are described, with the exception of 

 half a dozen. The whole arranged according to the Natural System ; all the 

 engravings being to the scale of two inches to a foot, or one sixth of the 

 natural size. 



3. The Scientific Names and Scientific Synonymes of all the species ; and 

 their Popular Names in the languages of the different countries where they 

 are indigenous or cultivated. 



4. An Alphabetical Index to all the species and varieties, with their 

 synonymes. 



5. A Tabular Analysis of the Leaves, by which the name of any species 

 of tree or shrub described in the work may, in general, be discovered, from 

 a small portion of a shoot with the leaves on. 



6. Specific Characters, Descriptions, and Figures of some species, more 

 particularly of pines, firs, and oaks, which were not in the country in 1838, 

 when the large work was completed. 



In a word, though this Abridgement does not include all the interesting 

 and useful information on the natural history of trees which will be found in 

 the larger work, or any of the portraits of entire trees which constitute so 

 distinguished a feature in it, yet it contains all that is necessary to enable the 

 reader to discover the names of the different species, and to ascertain their 

 culture, propagation, and uses in Britain; in short, all that is essential for 

 the nurseryman, gardener, and forester. 



The most remarkable circumstance connected with this Abridgement is, 

 that the Author has been able to obtain figures of nearly all the species. 

 For the drawings or specimens from which these additional figures were 

 taken, he is indebted to the kind assistance of various Public Institutions, 

 and of several of the most eminent botanists and possessors of herbariums 

 and living collections in Europe and North America. 



The Institutions to which he is under obligations are, the Linnean and 

 Horticultural Societies of London, the British Museum, the Museum of 

 Natural History of Paris, and that of Berlin : and the Botanists who have 

 kindly lent him drawings or specimens include the late A. B. LAMBERT, Esq.; 

 Sir W. J. HOOKER; Dr. LINDLEY; the late Professor DON; GEORGE DON, 

 Esq., who prepared the characters of the Orders and of the Genera; 

 Messrs. LODDIGES ; the late Professor DECANDOLLE ; M. ALPHONSE DE 

 CANDOLLE ; W. BORRER, Esq.; P. B. WEBB, Esq. ; Baron DE LESSERT; 

 M. MICHAUX; Signer G. MANETTI ; M. OTTO; M. CHARLES RAUCH ; M. 

 FRANCIS RAUCH, who made most of the drawings; and Drs. TORREY 

 and GRAY : to all of whom ; to the Curators of most of our Botanic and 

 Horticultural Gardens, and those of many foreign ones ; and to all Nursery- 

 men and Gardeners, both at home and abroad, who may have rendered him 

 assistance, he begs to return his most sincere thanks. 



To the Council of the Horticultural Society of London he is under especial 

 obligations, for their permission to make drawings from the cones and other 

 specimens sent home by their collectors, DOUGLAS and HARTWEG, and for 

 authorising him to procure information from their intelligent and experienced 

 superintendent of the arboricultural department of the Garden, Mr. GEORGE 

 GORDON, A.L.S. ; and to Mr. GORDON he is indebted for the ready and 

 obliging manner in which, at all times, he rendered his assistance. 



Bayswater, April, 1842. J. C. L. 



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