■i PREFACE 



all time. Newly introduced plants belonging to new 

 genera should have distinctive names for our country, 

 but the old names used in their native country would 

 be generally best for our use. 



The largest, latest, and best work on ornamental plants 

 in America is Bailey's " Cyclopedia of Horticulture," and 

 the names there given are in almost all cases the ones 

 here used. Where changes occur to suit popular usage 

 the interchangeable names will be found near each other, 

 as this book is not alphabetic but by families ; thus, Wei- 

 gela and Diervilla are on the same page and not in sepa- 

 rate volumes, as in the " Cyclopedia." 



To suit an almost universal demand, practically all 

 plants have been given common names. There is an 

 attempt in many cases to use good generic names as a 

 part of the name. 



As all bushes in general cultivation outdoors for orna- 

 ment throughout the United States are included, many 

 conservatory plants of the North will be found because 

 they are hardy South. 



The illustrations are more numerous than ever before 

 given in a single book on shrubs. Nearly every species 

 has some feature shown. In order to impress the pupil 

 with what constitutes a whole leaf, one is detached on 

 some portion of the plant in most figures. 



The charm of a landscape throughout the growing 

 season lies mainly in the foliage ; and the contrasts plants 

 show are mostly in the variation in the color, parts, and 

 forms of the leaves. The flowers are evanescent, but the 

 leaves endure. Lovers of nature should get the habit 

 bf noticing leaf differences, and this book is written in 

 the hope that it will aid in forming this habit. 



Many of us are afraid of anything looking like a key. 

 Keys in manuals have gradually been rendered more and 

 more difficult by the introduction of a larger and larger 

 number of scientific words applying in many cases to 

 microscopic features ; intelligent ones among us with an 



