NOTE. 
For several years prior to 1882, and later, I kept a record of 
the dates on which I saw for the first time in each year any 
wild flower or fern. In the eleven papers which follow I have 
given the record for 1882, dividing the plants into groups of 
fifty each, numbered with Arabic figures. I have annexed for 
each, month except April a supplementary list, numbered in 
Roman notation, found during the same month in other years, 
but not seen in 1882. I think this is a fairly representative 
list of the number which may be found by one person in any 
town in Worcester County. More than ninety-five per cent of 
these were found in Millbury. There will naturally be varia- 
tions in such lists, and this is not offered as being complete, 
but suggestive. The nomenclature has been conformed to 
that of the sixth edition of Gray’s Manual, as the book most 
widely used for reference in this subject in New England. I 
am aware that many changes in nomenclature have already 
been proposed and that others are to follow, but it has not 
seemed best to give names which, as yet, are to be found only 
in special works. When the nomenclature of our flora has 
been settled on a satisfactory and permanent basis, perhaps 
there may be an opportunity for the revision of this little 
book, in which such desirable changes might be properly 
made. 
