PHILOSOPHICAL SOCIETY OP WASHINGTON. 113 



cannot fail to impress itself upon all who pursue it to any consid- 

 erable extent. 



Finally common names are not wholly without their scientific 

 uses. A few of them have proved more persistent than any of the 

 systematic names, as I have had occasion to observe in examining 

 the Prodromus Florae. Columbians of 1838, in which difficult work, 

 I must confess, they frequently rendered me efficient aid in determ- 

 ining the identity of plants, which the Latin names used did not 

 reveal. 



In appending common names to the plants of this vicinity The 

 Native Wild Flowers and Ferns of the United States, by Prof. 

 Thomas Meehan, has been followed in most cases, so far as this 

 work goes, but this of course embraces but a fraction of the entire 

 flora. Most of the remaining names are taken from Gray's Manual 

 of Botany, and from his Synoptical Flora of the United States. In 

 many cases some of the names given which do not seem appro- 

 priate are omitted, and in a few cases those given have been slightly 

 changed. A small number of local names given, not found in any 

 book, but in themselves very expressive, have been given, as "curly 

 head" for Clematis ochroleuca, &c; and in a few other cases, names 

 have been assigned to abundant species on the analogy of those 

 given for allied genera or species. 



Concluding Remarks. 



The foregoing remarks on the value of common names naturally 

 suggest a few general reflections with which our introduction will 

 conclude. 



The popularization of science is now a leading theme of scien- 

 tific men. To accomplish this, certain branches of science must 

 first become a part of liberal culture. The pursuit of fashion, which 

 is usually regarded as productive solely of evil, may be made an 

 agency of good. If it could become as much of a disgrace to be 

 found ignorant of the flora or fauna of one's native place as it now 

 is to be found ignorant of the rules of etiquette or the contents of 

 the last new novel, devotees of Botany and natural history would 

 immediately become legion, and the woods and fields would be in- 

 cessantly scoured for specimens and objects of scientific interest. 

 It should be the acknowledged work of educationalists to make 

 science fashionable and call to their aid these powerful social sen- 

 timents in demanding the recognition of its legitimate claims. 

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