PREFACE 



TO THE SECOND EDITION 



The first edition of the Florula Bostoniensis was pub- 

 lished in 1814, for the use of a botanical class in this city. 

 It was intended to contain intelligible descriptions of the 

 more common and interesting plants found within a circuit 

 of about ten miles around Boston. Its publication was at 

 that time rendered necessary by the great deficiency of 

 books relating to American plants, and by the difficulty of 

 obtaining foreign works of a character suited to supply this 

 deficiency. Similar causes afterwards led me, in conjunc- 

 tion with my friend, Dr. Francis Boott, to begin the collec- 

 tion of materials for a Flora of the New England states. 

 In the pursuit of this object we performed several botanical 

 tours, both on the sea coast and in various parts of the inte- 

 rior. The most remarkable mountains of New Hampshire 

 and Vermont, which, from their position and elevation, af- 

 ford a different vegetation from other parts of the United 

 States, were visited by us, and some progress was made in 

 the proposed undertaking. The design, however, was sub- 

 sequently relinquished, having been rendered more difficult 

 by other engagements, while it became less necessary, in 

 consequence of the appearance of various American botani- 

 cal works. The publications of Muhlenberg, Pursh, Elliott, 

 Nuttall, Eaton and Torrey, with other works of a more 

 limited character, have certainly contributed much to fill 

 the void which existed in American botany ten years ago. 



The materials formerly collected towards a Flora of New 

 England not having been published, and the first edition of 

 the Florula Bostoniensis having been long out of print, I have 



