photographs of the species, showing in vvhat différences of development it hère 

 and there indulges. Hère, too, he will be able to find portraits of any new 

 rarity he may be called upon to buy, and be saved from the painful and 

 unsatisfactory toil of building up a mental picture from a cold catalogue of 

 printed qualities, by the living représentation of the plant itself. And hère, 

 again, he need hâve no fear of confusions and false nanies; for hère bolany 

 speaks hcr latest vvord on each species up to date, and before lier clear calm 

 speech, a hundred expensive Catalogue-species (lee back into the sliadow of the 

 mother-species from which they ouglitnever to liave emerged. Out of sixnames 

 one only, and that, the only right one, remains; and Botany, aided by 

 photography (and unhampered by her own clanking cumbrous armoury of 

 words), vvith a picture and a name clears chaos into simple certainty. 



Nor is this ail, for now we are given a Bird's eye view of ail the lands 

 occupied by each species. The glance is always " glegger al the uptak " than 

 the brain unaided : it leaves one cold to hear that such and such a species is 

 found in Lycia, Armenia, Cappadocia, Allai, Ural and Transcaucasia. Fevv of us 

 probably hâve any clear notion where thèse various places are; in any case 

 one's mind receives no vivid or salient picture. But now come along 

 MM. LEON MARRET and LOUIS CAPITAINE, and wilh each species they 

 supply us with a map to show us ail its homes. Thus, in an instant we get the 

 whole picture of a plant's range; and, with ail the kingdoms of the world 

 expanded suddenly before our eyes, we see, with a thrill, the vast wanderings 

 of Anémone narcissiflora over the intricate mounlains of the East and the 

 West, or the one dramatic appearance onearth of CalUanlliemum Keinerianuni . 

 And immediately we feel a far more complète and intimate knowledge of our 

 treasures than years of chilly reading could impart. 



Therefore I feel that this work of ^LM. LEON MARRET and 

 LOUIS CAPITAINE must soon be for ever in the hands of every keen 

 rock-gardener; an invaluable book of référence, alike for name, portraiture, 

 habit and distribution. If it deal also with weeds such as the hideous little 

 high-alpinc Crucifers, even thèse hâve their interest to the botanist, and iheir 

 inclusion mustbepardoned, in view of the vast prépondérance in the publication 

 of plants beautiful and precious to our gardens, about which we hâve so long 

 and so vainly bee asking for the encyclopédie information, hère so brilliantly 

 provided. So, with thus much of préface, do I introduce to my English fellow 

 enthusiasts, a really valuable, monumental and delightful work, especially 

 deserving of the warmest welcome in England, at présent the high-priestess 

 of the Mountain-cuit. 



REGINALD FARRER. 



