PREFACE. 



Should I be afk'd, why, contrary to the 

 prefent fafhion in works of this kind, I 

 chofe to write the defcriptions and ufes of 

 the plants in EngUfh rather than Latin F I 

 anfwer, to comply with the requejl qJ my beji 

 friends. Neither do I think it anyobjeftion 

 to the book, as it was written purely for 

 the ufe of my countrymen, who will under-^ 

 ftand it never the worfe for being in their 

 own tongue. 



With the theory and technical terms of the 

 /exual fyftem, and the manner how to in^ 

 veftigate an unknown plant, the reader i$ 

 fuppofed to be acquainted before he takes 

 the Flora Scotica in hand. If he ftiould be 

 totally ignorant of the elements of Botany, 

 and yet be defirous of knowing the names 

 and ufes of any native plants which may fall 

 in his way, I would beg leave firft to refer 

 him either to the Philofophia Botanica of 

 Linnceus^ for a Latin inftrudlion in the iirft 

 principles of the fcience, or to Lees Intro-^ 

 duBion to Botanyy or l^ofes Elements of 

 Botany for an Englijh one; after which I 

 flatter myfelf he will have little diffi- 

 culty, with the help of the Flora Scotica^ 



to 



XX 



