PREFACE TO FIRST EDITION. vii 



desired, and if in some few perhaps I prove wrong or 

 mistaken. 



Of the works to which I have mainly made reference, 

 I should not omit mention of the ' Hortus Calcuttensis ' 

 of Dr. Yoigt. In this catalogue, however, are enume- 

 rated many plants that do not exist in the country, 

 and of which there appears strong reason to doubt 

 whether they ever have done so ; while many of the 

 most ornamental ones we now possess are not found 

 there, having been introduced since the work was com- 

 piled. The ' Flora Indica ' of Dr. Roxburgh also I 

 have made free use of, whenever it served me. Dr. 

 Koxburgh's remarks on any plant he has described are 

 almost invariably accurate and excellent, except that, 

 owing perhaps to long residence in India, the merit he 

 attaches to most of its vegetable productions may be 

 somewhat overrated. For the copious and frequent use 

 I have made of the valuable writings of Sir J. Paxton 

 and Dr. Lindley, no apology, I trust, will be required. 

 I need hardly notice the Transactions and Journals of 

 the Agricultural and Horticultural Society of India, as 

 a source likewise upon which I have drawn largely. 

 The whole of those volumes I have thoroughly searched, 

 and extracted from them all that I found of any value 

 for my purpose. On no occasion, however, have I 

 borrowed either from them, or from any other authority, 

 without the fullest acknowledgment. All descriptions 

 of plants that I have given, have been, unless other- 



