\Bxziztc. 



possible, under their substantive terms ; and a series of French Names both of 

 genera and species, besides a large number of the Local Names of plants and 

 vegetable productions in different countries throughout the world. In the 

 Introduction, some excellent observations by Dr. Seemann, descriptive of the 

 Plates, serve as illustrations of Phyto-Geography. 



The style which has been aimed at, and as far as practicable realised, in 

 the preparation of the several articles, is such that anyone, taking up the 

 book in an idle hour, may be able to< read a page without being reminded 

 that he knows nothing about the plants which clothe our beautiful earth ; 

 and such also as, it is hoped, will induce in him a desire to increase his know- 

 ledge concerning them. 



The Nomenclature-in-chief (that is to say, the names under which the 

 articles pertaining to genera are written) is that of Lindley's Vegetable 

 Kingdom, or Decandolle's Prodromus,so far as those books contain generic 

 names forming the subject of an article. 



The utility of this epitome of Botany depends very much on the able 

 assistance which has been afforded, in carrying out the plan thus briefly 

 I sketched, by the various gentlemen, well-known in their several walks of 

 1 the science, who consented to become contributors. The following list of 

 their names, with the signatures adopted, will afford a sufficient guarantee 

 of the value of their communications. The whole of the articles, of what- 

 ever kind, without signatures are editorial : — 



Professor Balfour— [J. H. B.] 

 Rev. M. J. Berkeley— [M. J. B.] 

 Mr. A. A. Black-[ A A. B.] 

 Mr. W. B. Booth-[\V. B. B.] 

 Professor Buckman— [J. B.] 

 Mr. W. Carruthers-[W. C] 

 Mr. B. Clarke— [B. C] 

 Professor Dickie— [G. D.] 

 Mr. AV.'B. Hemsley-[W. B. H.] 



Mr. R. Heward— [R. H.] 

 Rev. C. A. Johns— [C. A. J.] 

 Dr. Masters— [M. T. M.] 

 Dr. Moore— [D. M.] 

 Dr. Seemann— [B. S.] 

 Mr. A. Smith-[A. S.] 

 Mr. J. T. Syme— [J. T. S.] 

 Mr. R. Thompson— [R. T.] 

 Mr. W. Thompson— [W. T.] 



In the preparation of the- Illustrations, the work has had the advantage of 

 the admirable botanical and artistic talent of Mr. W. H. Fitch, by whom the 

 very expressive though diminished woodcut figures have been drawn. These 

 have been engraved with great fidelity by Mr. R. Branston ; while the Plates, 

 reduced by Mr. Adlard from well-known originals, are no less faithful as 

 pictures of the aspects of vegetation in other lands. 



The length of time which is taken up in the passage through the press of 

 a book of so comprehensive a character, and into which, owing to the small 

 type adopted, so great an amount of matter is compressed, has on this occa- 

 sion been unhappily augmented by the complete failure of Dr. Lindley's 

 health, which took place at an early stage of the progress of the work, and 



