PREFACE. rii 



AN APPEAL FOR GOOD ENGLISH NAMES. 



To botanist*, naturalists, school superintendents and 



teaehers, lumbermen, travelers and tree lovers gen- 

 erally, greeting: 



Let us institute and maintain a much-needed 

 reform in the use of English or vernacular names for 

 our Western trees. 



Let us, first of all, ignore senseless, inappropriate 

 names for our trees. 



Let us insist upon suitable names. 



Let us insist upon descriptive names. 



Let us insist upon distinguishing names. 



Let us insist upon having but one name for each 

 kind of tree. 



Let us habitually use the one proper name until it 

 is taken up by the public and made the popular 

 name. 



I am not now advocating the popular use of the 

 scientific names that will come about in due time. 

 The youth of America will soon be ashamed not to 

 be as familiar with our principal botanical names as 

 with household words. It will be admitted after a 

 moment's reflection that the only really distinguish- 

 ing names are those conferred and duly published by 

 scientists having full knowledge of an object and all 

 its relations. These are the technical names those 



