PREFACE. 



The reason to hope that Southern " Wild Flowers and Trees " will find a 

 field of usefulness is that it is the first book written to treat in a popular way 

 of the beauty and interest attached to plant-life through this great region. 

 Sometimes we hear it said by those with no knowledge of botany that they 

 "simply enjoy the flowers," thus implying that the smallest technical 

 acquaintance with them would put them beyond the pale of such pleasure. 

 But this is not enough. To learn of the kinship between plants ; the 

 characteristics on which their family trees are founded ; their individual pe- 

 culiarities and their keen desire to continue their race cannot, it would seem, 

 but quicken our desire to know them well and enhance our wonder concern- 

 ing their beauty. There is a time when the green things of the earth appeal 

 strongly to those that live busy lives in the cities to go out and partake of 

 the refreshment offered in a close walk with nature. 



The present book is one that explains itself. It is simply written, and the 

 plan of arrangement is in accordance with the leading scientific botanical 

 works of the day. Beginning with the simplest forms of growth, the plants 

 are entered until those most complicated in construction are reached. In 

 all instances an effort has been made to present the scientific names as 

 recognised under the laws of the new nomenclature, while many of the Eng- 

 lish names herein given have been learned directly from the people. 



The botanical terms that it has been found necessary to use in the 

 analyses of the plants have a chapter devoted to their explanation and are 

 further made clear by illustrations. Rather than use for this book, which 

 makes mention of over a thousand plants, some popular classification such 

 as that of soil or colour, a simplified key to the plant families has been 

 arranged. By its use the individuals may be located in the book with 

 greater accuracy than by other means, and the satisfaction may be had of 

 entering upon the study of plants in the right way. The book will thus be 

 a better beginning ; a better stepping-stone to those purely scientific. 



To learn something of the history, the folk-lore and the uses of southern 

 plants and to see rare ones growing in their natural surroundings, Mrs. 

 Rowan and I travelled in many parts of the south, exercising always our best 

 blandishments to get the people of the section to talk with us. Through 



