PREFACE Vil 



mentators and editors bearing the names of original authors, all confuse 

 and make the task of the bibliographer complex and difficult. 



Fourth, the material had to be arranged. Sturtevant in his discussions 

 of vegetables in the reports of this Station, in his card index of edible 

 plants ana in his History of Gardeti Vegetables in the American Naturalist, 

 arranges the plants in accordance with the English vernacular names; 

 but in his partly completed manuscript, undoubtedly written with the 

 expectation of publishing, the plants are arranged alphabetically according 

 to genera. The last plan seemed to suit the present work best and was 

 adopted. The natural order of the genera is given; species are alpha- 

 betically arranged under each genera; while, to make them as prominent as 

 possible, English vernacular names are printed in capitals after the species. 

 The vernacular names are those used by the authorities quoted or are 

 taken from standard botanical text-books. 



While the changes and omissions made by the editor leave that which 

 remains substantially as written by Dr. Sturtevant, yet there has been so 

 much cutting and fitting that it would be unjust to hold Sturtevant respon- 

 sible for infelicities that may appear. Despite the editor's efforts to retain 

 the diction, style and individuality of Dr. Sturtevant, the quality of the 

 work is no doubt marred by passing through hands other than those of the 

 author. 



The following acknowledgments must be recorded: The editor is 

 grateful to Dr. Sturtevant's children for permission to publish their father's 

 work; and to his associates in the Horticultural Department of this Station 

 for assistance in reading the manuscript and proof of the book, especially to 

 J. W. Wellington who has had charge of standardizing botanical names, 

 verifying references and preparing the bibliography. 



U. P. HEDRICK, 



Horticulturist, New York Agricultural Experiment Station. 



