PREFATORY NOTE 



By Cecil Billington 



The several lists of plants comprising this volume were prepared by 

 Charles Keene Dodge and include all of the unpublished manuscript 

 left by him at his death. The papers were evidently complete, as they 

 were marked "ready for the printer". As this volume will be the last 

 publication of his writings it is deemed fitting to include a photograph 

 of Mr. Dodge as a frontispiece, a short biological sketch, and a complete 

 list, so far as they are known, of his publications. 



CHARLES KEENE DODGE 



Born April 26, 1844 Died March 22, 1918 



Charles Keene Dodge was born on a farm in the township of Black- 

 man, Jackson Count}', Michigan, five miles north of the city of Jackson, 

 April 26, 1844. He received his education entirely in the schools of his 

 native state, graduating from a classical course at the University of 

 Michigan, in 1870. 



After leaving the University he taught school two years in Rockland, 

 Michigan, and two years at Hancock, Michigan. He then studied law 

 one 3^ear at Hancock, and in 1875 was admitted to the bar. He at once 

 removed to Port Huron, Michigan, where he practiced his profession 

 actively until 1893. At this time he was appointed to the staff of the 

 United States customs office at Port Huron, which position he hold 

 until his death. 



On August 4, 1897, he was married to Miss Millie Burns and they 

 made their home in Port Huron with the exception of two years spent 

 in the west and south. 



Mr. Dodge began to take an interest in systematic botany at about 

 the time he was admitted to the bar in 1875. He had had a six weeks' 

 course in botany under Alexander Winchell and this, together with his 

 natural love of the great out-of-doors furnished the incentive for an 

 active interest in this subject. At one time he wrote "Without any 

 apparent mental effort I took to botany and was never able to let it 

 alone. Everything described within the limits of Gray's Manual inter- 

 ested me. Woods, trees, fields, all formed an irresistible attraction.' 

 He has told the writer how at first he would go to the woods or fiekN. 

 bringing in a few plants carefully hidden under his coat so that his 



