PREFACE. 



Simmond's Commercial Products of the Vegetable Kingdom, 

 Crawfurd's Dictionary of the Indian Islands, Seeman's Palms, 

 Archer's Economic Botany, Beckmann's History of Inventions, 

 Sprengel, Fraas, Dr. Gibson's Reports on the Forests of Western 

 India, and Cleghorn on the Forests of South India. 



From the first rough notes, to the last copy for the press, I 

 have written out everything with my own hand, and have always 

 corrected the proofs leisurely. But my notes have been the collec- 

 tion of six years, and often I have forgotten their source; and 

 although aware that no statement was entered in my notes with 

 which at the time of entry I was not satisfied, and that I have 

 often omitted statements v/hich on reperusal appeared doubtful to 

 me, I am still apprehensive of errors from this cause. Again, 

 correcting proofs is a most difficult task. 



My leading idea in compiling the Catalogue has been to prepare 

 a handbook for myself, and what I hope to be useful to myself I 

 trust will not fail to be so to others. It must be borne in mind 

 that it is only a compilation from authorities, and that these alone 

 must be held responsible for the correctness of their identifications 

 and stated facts. 



The compilation completed, it remains my duty, or that of my 

 successors, with the splendid aid of the Victoria Museum and 

 Gardens, to verify and extend these identifications and facts. 



This work is published at the expense of Lakhmidas Khimji, a 

 Bhatia Merchant, well known as the courageous and liberal sup- 

 porter of every measure for the social improvement of his country- 

 men. Having heard of it, he voluntarily offered to defray the 

 cost. 



In Appendices A, B, and C will be found 



1 st. A statement showing the extent of cultivation of the princi- 

 pal products in the 1 2 Collectorates of this Government. 



2nd. Statements showing the mean maxima and minima of the 

 Thermometer, and the mean monthly rainfall in the principal 

 Cities and Stations of the Government of Bombay. 



3rd. A table showing the number of each natural order in 

 Lindley in correspondence with the number given in Balfour. 



GEORGE BIRDWOOD. 



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