PREFACE. 
Tue first edition of this book was prepared for the press during the evenings and Satur- 
days of the month of January, 1879. The hope that an abler hand would undertake the 
task deferred the beginning, and the needs of a class of over five hundred pupils hastened 
the completion of a work that would have been more slowly elaborated had. the reputa- 
tion of the author been the only consideration. The errors incident to such,rapid work 
were as far as possible corrected the following year, in a second edition, which was pre- 
faced as follows: 
‘“‘T have endeavored to prepare an inexpensive manual which will enable beginners in 
botany to determine the names of all plants with maa le flowers that may be found 
growing wild in the Central Valley of California from Visalia to Marysville, and through 
the Coast Ranges from Monterey to Ukiah. Over six hundred species of plants are 
characterized by descriptions condensed, for the most part, from Vol. I of the ‘California 
Botany,’ and Sereno Watson’s ‘Revision of the North American Liliacex.’ Valuable 
material has also been obtained from a ‘Revision of the Eriogonez,’ by Torrey & Gray, 
Gray’s ‘Synoptical Flora of North America,’ and ‘Gray’s Manual of Botany.’ 
‘“Plants belonging to the Parsnip, Aster, Willow, Oak, and Pine Families, are not de- 
ascribed, being mostly too difficult Bor beginners, or of little interest to them. The Intro- 
ductory Lessons are designed to show the learner how to study the growth of plants, as 
well as to give such knowledge of their structure as will enable him to understand the 
descriptions in the Flora. The ‘Glossary of Generic and Specific Names’ will enable the 
student to make appropriate common names for most plants, 
“To the authors whose works have furnished the materials for this book is due the 
credit for whatever of excellence it may possess; to the compiler, who may, in a few 
cases, have misrepresented these authors, attaches the blame for most of its defects. 
“T am indebted for suggestions and criticisms to Prof. E. W. Hilgard, Dr. C. L. Ander- 
son, Prof. W. H. Brewer and Dr. Asa Gray. To the latter I am especially grateful for 
his kind interest in my humble work.” 
One third of the second edition was new matter, and only about half of the book in its 
present form is printed from the stereotype plates of the first edition. The newer half 
of the work, although necessarily partaking somewhat of the nature of patchwork, is as 
good as I can make it. My drawings upon wood have been faithfully engraved, and, 
though claiming no artistic merit, will, I trust, prove helpful to the learner. With few 
exceptions—always noted in the text—the plants, or parts of plants, are represented of 
the natural size. Besides the more obvious improvements, an entirely new Analytical 
Koy replaces the old one; and our most common oaks are described, - 
