PREFACE. 



Balsamodendron Opobalsamum, 

 Strychnos Nux-Vomica ; 



and the latinized local names of modern botanists, as : 

 Rhus Kakrasingee, 

 Plantago Ispaghula. 



I have given capital initials to specific names taken from holy 

 places, as : 



Cedrus Libani; 



and from 'persons to whom divine honours have been paid, or who 

 have been sung by great poets, as : 

 Carduus Mariamnus, 

 Tephrosia Apollinea, 

 Inula Helenium. 



Helenium is indeed an old generic name, but it here illustrates a 

 principle which has guided me throughout the work. 



After the scientific and English name (where there is one) of 

 each plant, its place in the Linnaean system is stated, and in the 

 third line the part which gives it its economic place, and its com- 

 mercial name. The Eastern synonymes are gathered from many 

 books, and I have always followed the spelling of the authority I 

 have copied from. To the eyes of oriental scholars this will no 

 doubt prove distasteful, but no other course was open to me. In 

 the remarks the earliest mention is indicated of articles of great 

 antiquarian or commercial interest, and corresponding foreign 

 products are named. Botanical observations are also made where 

 requisite. 



In preparing this compilation I have consulted many works, and 



have, I believe, scarcely made a statement without authority. But 



it was impracticable to name my authorities after each statement, 



and even here I will not give a list of them. Some, however, I 



must mention, as 75 per cent, of this work is compiled from them. 



These are Balfour's Botany, Lindley's Vegetable Kingdom, Royle's 



Himalayan Flora, Roxburgh's Flora Indica, Royle's Fibrous 



Plants of India, Drury's Useful Plants of India, Ainslie's Materia 



Medica of Hindoostan, Pereira's Materia Medica, the Ulfaz Udwi- 



yeh, translated by Glad win, O'Shaughnessy's Bengal Dispensatory, 



Peddington's Catalogue, Moon's Catalogue, Graham's Catalogue, 



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