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In an attempt, such as this, to cover a wide ground, within a book 

 of small compass, perfect accuracy cannot be hoped for, complete- 

 ness is impossible, and originality is neither expected nor desirable. 

 Rather, however, than burden the body of the book with constant 

 acknowledgment; of indebtedness, I have thought it better to add 

 a bibliographical appendix, indicating those works from which I 

 have borrowed most freely. For Figs. 1, 7, 16, 17, 20, and 29 I am 

 indebted to the courtesy of Mr. Francis Darwin and the Syndicate 

 of the Cambridge University Press ; for Figs. 10, 18, 21-23, and 

 27 to that of the late Professor Marshall Ward and Messrs. Kegan 

 Paul, Trench, Triibner and Co. ; for Figs. 12, 13, 15, 26, and 30 to 

 that of Professor Somerville and Mr. David Douglas ; and for 

 Figs. 4 and 28, which are photographed from nature, to Mr. D. F. 

 Mackenzie of Morton Hall, Midlothian ; whilst Figs. 2, 3, 6, 8, 9, 

 11, 14, 24, 25, and 37-43 have been drawn for me by Miss Emily 

 Carter. 



To Mr. James A. Weale, of Liverpool, I am even more deeply 

 indebted. Not only has he supplied the photographs for Figs. 32-36 

 and for all the 48 plates in Appendix IV. ; but throughout my work 

 of revision he has aided me with numerous corrections and suggestions 

 from the store of his unrivalled practical knowledge. 



I have thought it well to indicate the pronunciation of the Latin 

 names by putting an accent over the syllables on which the stress 

 falls ; and it may be desirable to point out here that the chief 

 symbols employed in Part II. are explained on pp. 120 and 121. 



How incomplete my work is may be gauged by the statement 

 that, while there are undoubtedly several thousand woods used 

 in various parts of the world, only about 1,000 are here enumerated ; 

 but these include most of those which are practically known in 

 general commerce, and to have dealt with more would have necessi- 

 tated a volume fuUy twice as large. 



G. S. jB. 



