PREFACE. vil 
in which they grow, little difficulty should be encountered in 
determining the position of any plant in the book. 
It has seemed most natural to make the divisions of soil 
according to a gradation from plants that grow in water 
through those of mud and those of moist, rich, rocky, light and 
sandy soils respectively to those that flourish in dry and waste 
ground. Under this classification the primary idea in group- 
ing the genera has been to keep the families together, and so 
far as is consistent with this plan they have been arranged 
according to their seasons of blooming. 
The common English name, or several common names, when 
they exist, and the scientific names of the plants are first given. 
Accents have been placed upon the latter as being an assistance 
to their correct pronunciation. Then follow, so that they may 
be seen at a glance, the family, colour, odour, range and time 
of bloom, A simple analysis is also given, from which the 
manner of their growth and the form and number of their parts 
can be learned. From the routine order of placing first the 
root, or stem, a deviation has been indulged in by beginning 
with a description of the flowers. It is thought to be more 
considerate to allow the novice to satisfy his enthusiasm over 
the blossom before claiming his attention for the root, stem, 
and leaves. 
The technical terms that have been used will not be found 
difficult to conquer by a little patience and study of the next 
chapter. The student will then be armed with a vocabulary 
from which two words will serve him for twenty of his own 
that he might otherwise employ. Every science has its phe- 
nomena that individuals are ready to master; but for some 
strange reason botany has, until recently, been so enwrapped 
in the gloom of technical expressions that it has been declared 
impossible. Happily this idea has become a phantom of his- 
tory. The change undoubtedly is greatly owing to the many 
delightful books that have been written on this subject, It is 
these books that make naturalists, 
