vail PREFACE. 



The book has been again carefully revised throughout, 

 80 as, if possible, to keep pace with the rapidly advancing 

 knowledge of British plants. 



As many as possible of the real English names are given. 

 AH the genera and species coidd not be thus named, owing 

 to the absence of any recognized English terms which have 

 been applied to them. It does not seem desirable to invent 

 or adopt new English names, known only to botanists, for 

 the few genera which have them not, the Latin name being 

 sufficient in those cases, and better in the original than in 

 an Anglicized form. 



As the portability of this volume is perhaps its most 

 valuable quality, the Author cannot accede to the wishes 

 of some young botanists by prefixing a short Introduction 

 to Botany. Sufficient space is wanting to admit of its pos- 

 sessing that fulness of detail without which such an In- 

 trodtmtion would be worse than useless. Oliver's Lessons 

 in Elementary Botany will be found of much use ; but stu- 

 dents should afterwards make themselves acquainted with 

 the contents of some more elaborate treatise, such as Bal- 

 four's Manual (of which a new edition is understood to be 

 in preparation) or Glass-booh, or Masters's edition of 

 Henfrey's Elementary Course. 



It is hoped that those who nse this book will favour the 

 author with information of any (even the slightest) addi- 

 tion, correction or alteration that may appear to be neces- 

 sary, in order that it may be employed in the preparation 

 of a future edition, as it is only through such assistance 

 that the flora of an extensive country can attain to even a 

 moderate degree of perfection. 



Cambridge, May 1 , 1874. 



