PREFACE. 



THE intention of the present volume is not 

 only to supply some deficiencies, in a work 

 of the same author, entitled An Introduction 

 to Physiological and Systematical Botany ; but 

 also to follow up its design, by additional in- 

 formation ; especially on the subject of the 

 natural classification, or affinities, of plants. 

 The reception of that elementary treatise has 

 been such, as to make it incumbent on the 

 author to neglect no opportunity of being 

 further useful. Yet he has not thought pro- 

 per to add any new matter to the successive 

 editions of his book, which the possessors of 

 the original might not obtain in a separate 

 form. The fourth edition, which, besides an 

 American one, is now before the publick, has 

 therefore merely received such emendations 

 and corrections as were necessary to prevent 

 mistakes. 



The popularity and success of the former 

 work have, as usual, called forth many la- 



