XVI LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL. 



very few cases descriptions of noteworthy extern species are given for 

 purposes of comparison.) The task proved more formidable than I had 

 anticipated ; and I cannot say that I have always succeeded as well as I 

 might have done. My aim was to provide a book which shall be helpful 

 to others in circumstances like my own ; and to furnish a sketch of a pecu- 

 liar and interesting vegetation. 



The region which the work embraces has for a long time been fascinat- 

 ing to botanists, and now colonists from various parts of Europe are feel- 

 ing their way into it, giving promise to transform it in the near future into 

 a field of agricultural and commercial development. It may therefore be 

 convenient to have, in a single volume the information regarding its pecu- 

 liar plants, which is now spread over learned volumes and papers in sev- 

 eral languages. 



I have to make large acknowledgments of aid rendered me by others. 

 Professor B. L. Robinson, Director of the Gray Herbarium, of Harvard 

 University, and Director N. L. Britton, of the New York Botanical Gar- 

 den, gave me personal help and the free use of the splendid libraries and 

 botanical collections under their care ; and Miss Mary Anne Day, of the 

 Gray Herbarium, and Miss Anna Murray Vail, of the Library of the New 

 York Botanical Garden, duplicated the favor by their skilful and unwearied 

 services in piloting me through the books and collections. Professors J. 

 K. Small and P. A. Rydberg, of the New York Botanical Garden, assisted 

 me with their experience. I have also to thank Mr. W. J. Fox and Mr. 

 Sanderson Brown, of the Library of the Academy of Sciences, Philadel- 

 phia ; Director F. V. Coville of the U. S. Agricultural Department, Wash- 

 ington, D. C, and Professor E. L. Greene, lately Professor of Botany in 

 the Catholic University of that city ; also Professor E. L. Morris, of Wash- 

 ington High Schools, and Professor H. C. Thompson, of the Botanic 

 Garden of St. Louis. Professor Lucien M. Underwood, of Columbia 

 University, New York, examined and named the ferns for me ; and Pro- 

 fessor Francis E. Lloyd, of the same place, examined the Lycopodiums, 

 and aided me in other ways. One of the last services rendered on his 

 favorite Chara by the lamented T. F. Allen, of New York, appears on 

 page 126. 



Foreign correspondents have also been generous. Dusn crowned his 

 services, noted above, by sending me numerous publications, issued by 

 the Swedish Society, with lists of Patagonian and Fuegian plants collected, 



