n PREFACE TO THE SERIES. 



as the Sumach, for instance, where usually only the outermost ring, or a 

 part of it, couhl be said to represent the sap-wood, the display of that is 

 quite impossible. Jn certain other woods, as the Spruce, etc., the tran- 

 sition from sap to heart-wood is almost indistinguishable by any difference 

 in color, and, although both may be shown in the sections, one can 

 scarcely distinguish between them. 



The sequence of the numbers given to the various spboies is of import- 

 ance only to show the botanical arrangement within a given* Part, each 

 Part being independent of the others. 



The text of this work has been added rather as a secondary matter, 

 to supply to those not having it in other form, such information as is of 

 importance, in connection with the wood specimens, to give a fairly good 

 acquaintance with the trees represented. It contains little, if any thing, 

 new to the botanist, but to others it is hoped it may be of some value. 



In its preparation some use has been made of my father's Elements of 

 Forestry, and thanks are due the publishers of that work Messrs. 

 Robert Clarke & Co. of Cincinnati, Ohio for the use of cuts in repro- 

 ducing a number of its illustrations. Other valuable books of reference 

 have been the works of Drs. Gray, Wood and Bessey, LeMaout and 

 Decaisne's Descriptive and Analytical Botany, Prof. C. S. Sargent's 

 Report on the Forest Trees of North America (constituting Vol. IX, 

 Tenth Census of the United States, 1880), Micheaux and Nuttall's North 

 American Sylva, George B. Emerson's Trees and Shrubs of Massachu- 

 setts, D. J. Browne's Trees of America, etc. 



The authenticity of the timbers represented in this work has been a 

 subject of personal attention and special care on the part of the author. 

 The trees selected for specimens have been identified in the field, before 

 felling, while the leaves, flowers or fruit (one or more) have been obtain- 

 able, and he can, hence, vouch for the authenticity of every specimen 

 represented. 



Succeeding Parts, uniform in style with Part I, and representing in 

 each case twenty-five additional species, are planned to appear later, with 

 the ultimate end in view of representing, as nearly as possible, all of the 

 American woods, or at least the most important, in such a series of vol- 

 umes as this one. 



Upon the reception which this meets in public favor, and upon the 

 co-operation of those interested in the cause, must naturally depend the 

 carrying out of that plan. It is hoped that greater experience and skill 

 will enable us to obviate in future parts the faults which occur, from 

 lack of those qualities, in this. 



Notice of errors in this work will be thankfully received in hopes of 

 profiting therefrom in the future. 



LOWVILLE, N. Y., March 30, 1888. 



