PREFACE. 



The very cordial welcome given to my guide to the 

 trees and shrubs of Prospect Park has induced me to 

 publish a similar handbook for the Central Park of 

 this city. 



The purpose of this book is to put within reach of 

 the non-technical city nature lover a handy means of 

 identifying the trees and shrubs which he meets in his 

 park rambles. This identification once effected adds 

 immeasurable enjoyment to these rambles. It is 

 exasperating to walk the park paths and see the 

 handsome shrubs and trees and not know what 

 they are. Many of them are of foreign character and, 

 although the rambler may know the native species, 

 when these unusual foreign forms confront him he 

 cannot recognize them, for they are seldom given in 

 the popular handbooks. He has not time, nor 

 opportunity, nor the knowledge, it may be, to hunt 

 them out in the larger botanical works. It is the 

 aim of this book to supply this want. 



Its plan is simple and direct. Identification is 

 effected largely by locating the trees or shrubs, as they 



