PREFvVCE. 



vn 



V 



V 



Mr. Hughes was, in fact, altogether unacquainted 

 with botany^ and unequal to th^ task in which he 



^ 



engaged ; his descriptions appear to have been 

 frequently taken from the information of super- 

 ficial observers, wlvich will account for their in- 

 , accuracy as far as they go; and his book, being 

 scarcely more than a list of vernacular names, is 



of little, or indeed of no value to the student, 



Mr. Hughes himself seems to have been aware of 

 this, for he observes, "As this treatise, with regard 

 to vegetables, is confined within a narrow sphere, 

 it cannot be supposed to comprise rules for a 

 regular system of botany ; nor does it, therelbre, 



h I 



require me to descend to every minute circum- 

 stance, necessary, and expected only, to be ex- 

 patiated upon by those who undertake to write 

 botanic systems. 



My object in the present attempt has been to 

 exhibit a correct scientific arrangement of all the 

 plants I have met with in Barbados, according to 



3?*- 



* I cannot here omit to notice a manuscript description of 

 many of the plants of Barbados, prep-^rcd some years since by 

 the late Or. Collins. Tbis Gentleman's access to books was 

 very limited, but be was possessed of considerable botanical 



+ 



knowledg-e ; and the manuscript^ althongh left imperfect and 

 uncorrected, bears abundant testimony of the ability and science 

 of tlie author. 



^ 



