vi PREFACE. 



a collection of their own can adequately realise the task he 

 set himself. And snch collectors are increasing in number, 

 owing to the economic importance of the subject, helped by 

 the grasses remaining as plentiful as ever while other wild 

 flowers become scarcer every year. 



That the species may be quickly distinguished, a somewhat 

 similar plan has been adopted to that in " Our Country's Flowers," 

 the name of the plant being found by the shortest method that 

 could be devised — though it may hold good for the British 

 group alone — the identification being confirmed by the detailed 

 description. Hence more attention than usual is given to the 

 vegetative and other external characters. 



The illustrations have all been specially drawn for the work 



by my son. They include a complete series of a hundred and one 



coloured figures of the plants, and over eighty diagrams of the 



structure of their flowers. 



W. J. G. 



