Miscellanies. 181 



always been regarded with a lively interest. They have, at various thnes, 

 attracted hither a number of botanists from the old world, who have 

 reaped a rich harvest of discovery in our forests, on our mountains and 

 prairies, and along the margins of our almost interminable rivers. A few 

 of our own countrymen have also rendered important aid in making 

 known the character and extent of our vegetable treasures. Their 

 labors, however, have been, for the most part, restricted to the production 

 of partial or local Floras, highly interesting, indeed, so far as they ex- 

 tended, and furnishing valuable materials for a more comprehensive 

 work ; but still, they were severally limited in their scope, and, of neces- 

 sity, incomplete in their contents. The materials thus existing in de- 

 tached masses, and scattered through numerous volumes, awaited the 

 plastic operation of some master hand, to reduce them into one consistent 

 body, and give to all the parts their appropriate " form and pressure." 

 It was exceedingly important, that whoever might undertake to prepare a 

 North American Flora, should be thoroughly acquainted with the labors 

 of preceding botanists ; and, by consulting their collections, as far as 

 practicable, be competent to detect their errors, adjust their discrep- 

 ancies, and determine their various synonyms. We consider it, there- 

 fore, a subject of felicitation, that the work has fallen into the present 

 hands, as being confessedly those among the best qualified for the task, 

 in our country ; and we rely with confidence upon their receiving the 

 zealti)us cooperation and encouragement of every lover of the Science of 

 Plants. We cannot for a moment doubt, that every American botanist 

 win eagerly avail himself of the occasion to possess a complete Flora of 

 our widely extended continent ; and we should fondly hope, that every 

 liberal cultivator of science in our land, would be happy in the opportuni- 

 ty to patronize so commendable an effort to enhance the national repu- 

 tation. 



The authors of this Flora have, of course, adopted the natural system, 

 as being the only one consistent with a truly scientific arrangement of 

 plants ; and they have availed themselves of the latest discoveries, in 

 order to exhibit the details according to the most approved method, in the 

 present state of the science. 



By issuing the -work in parts, or numbers, some advantages will be se- 

 cured, which would otherwise be unattainable. The natural families 

 being complete, even in those detached numbers, the botanists in various 

 parts of our country will have leisure to examine and verify the particu- 

 lars of each, during the course of the publication ; and thus may suggest, 

 in due time for an Appendix, (which must ever accompany works on a 

 progressive science,) si^ch corrections, modifications, or additions, as their 

 opportunities or discoveries shalh enable them to make. In this way, 

 much valuable aid may be furnished to the authors, and the Flora render- 

 ed more perfect and comprehensive, without occasioning any material 

 delay in its final completion. 



