PREFACE. 



This little book has been wTitten in the hope that 

 it may be found useful as an elementary introduction 

 to the modem method of studying systematic Botany. 



There are many works, of a similar description, to 

 explain or illustrate the artificial system of Linnaeus, 

 the simplicity of which might have rendered such 

 labours superfluous ; but no one has, as yet, attempted 

 to render the unscientific reader familiar with what 

 is called the Natural System, to which the method 

 of Linnaeus has universally given way among Bota- 

 nists. All seem curious to know something about 

 this celebrated System, and many, no doubt, take 

 infinite pains to understand it ; but it is to be feared, 

 that a large part of those who make the attempt, are 

 far from meeting with the success their industry 

 deserves. On all hands they are told of its diflficul- 

 ties ; books, instead of remo\dng those difiiculties, 

 only perplex the reader by multitudes of unknown 

 words, and by allusions, which, however clear they 



