PREFACE. 



Many of the residents of our portion of the State will 

 be surprised and interested upon learning the fact exhibited 

 by this Catalogue, that New Castle County, comprising an 

 area of but 512 square miles, contains nearly one-half as 

 many species and marked varieties as the entire Northern 

 United States, comprising eighteen States, and to which may 

 also be added "Canada East this side of the St. Lawrence, 

 and the deep peninsula of Canada West"* — the whole 

 including an area of 600,000 square miles. 



The native and naturalized plants of this extensive area, 

 described in the recently published botany of Prof. Asa 

 Gray, number 2,426 species, whilst our Catalogue will be 

 found to enumerate 1,106 species and marked varieties. 

 When we consider the high northern latitude of a portion 

 of the area alluded to, the extensive coast line, the elevated 

 mountain chains, and the wide-spread prairies, and make 

 allowance for the northern, marine, alpine, and prairie 

 plants found only in such localities, the comparative rich- 

 ness of our own little county will be rendered still more 

 striking. 



The large adjoining county of Chester, in Pa., with an 

 area of 738 square miles, contains but 983 native and na- 

 turalized species. It may not be improper to add, that the 

 eminent botanist Dr. Wm. Darlington has expressed his 

 belief that New Castle County possesses a richer flora than 

 any other county in the Union. Surely, our lovers of nature 

 may find something in this to awaken an interest in botani- 

 cal science, or to stimulate their zeal in its pursuit. 



The reason of this floral wealth may be found in the 

 latitude of the county, approaching a middle position be- 



* Prof. Gray. 



