P R E F A C E . V 



tion, the separate subjects of Horticulture and Botany, which 

 now deservedly engage so much attention. It, therefore, ap- 

 peared to me, that a work, comprising, in abbreviated terms, the 

 generic and specific character of the most interesting Plants for 

 cultivation, and, at the same time, combining the most essential 

 subjects of Horticulture, would not be unacceptable to the young 

 Gardener, and Amateur in gardening; as we may safely say, 

 that no science has been more encouraged or improved, or has, 

 consequently, made a more rapid progress to perfection, during 

 the last half century, than those of Botany and Horticulture. In 

 short, the taste for these pursuits is now happily pervading all 

 ranks of society : for whilst we see, on the one hand, the Peer 

 and Peeress anxiously introducing into their Stoves and Green- 

 houses the numerous new exotics, watching the progressive de- 

 velopment of their beautiful flowers and foliage, and directing 

 the various improvements of the garden, we may observe, on the 

 other, the humble cottager, and the manufacturer, devoting his 

 leisure hours to the cultivation of his flowers and vegetables. 



The first part of the Work contains a descriptive Catalogue, 

 in abbreviated terms, of the generic and specific character of 

 upwards of 6,000 plants, such as are best adapted for the 

 Greenhouse, Plant Stove, or decoration of the Pleasure 

 Ground, or such as appear the most interesting to the Bo- 

 tanist and Amateur in the British Flower Garden ; the descrip- 

 tions of which, although much compressed by being confined 

 within a small compass, will render considerable assistance 

 in the identifying of the numerous genera and species. These 

 distinguishing peculiarities will, it is hoped, characterise the 

 arrangement of the Plants in this work, from those of any other 



