xiv INTRODUCTION 



never visited the Andamans, but it has been my good fortune that Mr. Gilbert 

 Rogers; who for several years has had charge of the forests in these islands, 

 has lately been able on several occasions to come to Kew and to give me 

 excellent information, chiefly regarding the palms and bamboos, which he had 

 studied with special care. The more important of his collections were not 

 available, but fortunately he was able to obtain for me materials for the study 

 of several important species. Nor had I been in Baluchistan, and hence the 

 specimens and information which Mr. J. H. Lace has given me in regard to 

 the forest vegetation of that country have been of the greatest value. 



As soon as I had determined to undertake this work, I made my 

 intention known to my young friends and former colleagues in India, 

 asking them to furnish me with material for this work. This request 

 has been responded to from nearly all provinces in the most liberal manner. 

 Prom Travancore Mr. T. F. Bourdillon has from the commencement supplied 

 me with specimens and ample notes regarding new and difficult species. 

 Mr. A. W. Lushington has furnished me with valuable notes and specimens 

 from the Madras Presidency, Mr. Talbot has sent me notes with specimens of 

 various species, Mr. G. M. Ryan has been indefatigable in supplying me 

 with material from the Thana district in Bombay, and in sending replies to 

 my inquiries. Mr. R. S. Hole has sent me notes and specimens from Jabalpur ; 

 Mr. R. L. Heinig notes and specimens of a bamboo from Chittagong ; and to 

 Mr. H. H. Haines I am indebted for splendid collections and most valuable 

 notes from Singbhum and Sikkim. The forest officers in A_ssam have favoured 

 me with specimens and lists of bamboos in their districts. Prom Rai Sahib 

 Upendranath Kanjilal I have received numerous contributions, and Mr. J. H. 

 Lace has most kindly lent me specimens illustrating difficult genera from the 

 North- West Himalaya. 



The collections received from Burma I can only mention briefly, although 

 for my work they have been by far the most important. To Mr. F. B. Manson 

 I am indebted for a large collection of specimens from Tavoy, Mergui, and 

 other districts of Tenasserim, and to Mr. E. M. Buchanan for a consignment 

 from Tharawadi. The late H. Slade and J. Messer, who have both died prema- 

 turely — a great loss for the progress of forestry in Burma — sent me notes and 

 specimens, chiefly of bamboos ; from Mr. Montague Hill I have received several 

 large and most valuable consignments, with lists and notes, chiefly from the hills 

 east of Bhamo, and Mr. R. S. Troup has furnished me with excellent specimens 

 and notes, chiefly of bamboos and palms. By far the richest and most 

 important collections have come from Mr. C. B. Smales. He commenced 

 sending in 1898, and continued steadily until he came home on furlough in 

 1903. Hjs specimens and notes are excellent, and they have enabled me 

 almost to feel at home in the forest vegetation of Upper Burma. His is an 

 instance of a keen sportsman turning his attention to the study of trees, 

 shrubs and bamboos with excellent effect. 



In spite of this wealth of material, which has been at my disposal, I feel 

 strongly that, to do full justice to the task I had undertaken, I ought to have 

 gone to the Royal Gardens, Calcutta, to consult the untold treasures which 

 must have accumulated at that long-established splendid institution, the 

 result of the labours of skilful collectors, some of them foresters. For this 

 undertaking, however, I had neither the strength nor the means, and I feel 

 that in many respects my work is incomplete. 



The publications bearing upon the woody plants of India since the appear- 

 ance of the Forest Flora of N.W. and Central India have been very numerous 

 and very important. In 1872 and 1873, the years devoted to that work, the 

 Genera Plantarum, by Bentham and Hooker, was only available to the end 

 of Rubiacem, and Hooker's Flora of British India only to page 306 of the 

 first volume. Of Boissier's Flora Orientalis the first 2 volumes had appeared. 

 These three standard works are now complete, and in addition to these the 

 whole of Engler u. Prantl's NatUrliche Pflanzenfamilien and a number of 



