preface WILD FLOWERS 



beside the actual flowers in various parts of the coun- 

 try, and in all sorts of weather and conditions. They 

 are here told in much the same spirit as they might 

 be related to an acquaintance afield. The flowers 

 have been arranged in five distinct groups, according 

 to colour, as this is, without doubt, the simplest and 

 quickest method of arriving at a definite means of 

 identification. 



The flowers are divided first, according to colour, 

 then, according to natural classification. Since flowers 

 are exceedingly variable in colour, and in no case 

 constant, it is difficult to arrive at their true colour 

 value; and, besides, most persons have their own ideas 

 regarding colours. Purple, for instance, ranges from 

 lightest to darkest blue, but is more or less generally 

 understood to be a reddish blue, and it is largely a 

 matter of qualifying its shade. Therefore, the simple 

 primary colours have been selected as a basis, and the 

 flowers have been arbitrarily divided into Red, Pink, 

 Yellow and Orange, Greenish and White and Blue and 

 Purple groups. The student is thus enabled to turn 

 immediately to the group of any particular flower he 

 may desire, according to its dominating colour, with- 

 out searching through an indefinite mass of descriptive 

 matter. A small magnifying glass will reveal wonders 

 as remarkable as those of fairyland. Such a glass, 

 together with a few needles and a sharp penknife for 

 dissecting the specimens, makes a satisfactory outfit 

 for general study. A small note-book for records and 

 a tin collecting box are also strongly recommended. 



viii 



