times during the many seasons on the trail. The limited habitat of others 

 made it necessary to take long rides and climb high above the timber line 

 to procure them, and frequently no trails were available. Our sure-footed 

 mountain ponies were a large factor in our success. 



Both the bloom and the fruit of a few trees have been sketched with the 

 hope that these exquisite forms may be more observed and appreciated by 

 nature lovers. The illustrations of eastern plants have been made from 

 specimens collected as opportunity offered and from those contributed by 

 many friends. All the sketches are life si2;e. 



As time went on and the collection grew, botanists, artists, and others in- 

 terested in flowers began to urge that the water-color sketches should be per- 

 manently preserved and made available for students and lovers of the beau- 

 tiful in Nature, before the dust of time faded and browned them to the hues 

 of the pressed flowers of the herbaria. A survey of wild flower publications 

 led to the decision that there was need for a finely illustrated work that 

 would be of service pictorially to all professional and amateur botanists and 

 designers, and to the larger group of lovers of wild flowers and the great 

 out-of-doors. To many of these the living flowers are inaccessible, and their 

 real beauty is unknown. No attempt has been made to create a text book 

 with technical descriptions, or to illustrate all native American wild flowers, 

 and only native plants have been included. 



The preparation of the work has been a labor of love and has been made 

 possible by the sympathetic interest and inspiration of Dr. Walcott, who 

 has been unfailing in his help and encouragement. 



My sincere thanks are due to Dr. Frederick V. Coville, Dr. Edgar T. 

 Wherry, Mr. Paul C. Standley, and Dr. Paul Bartsch, who have all given freely 

 of their time and knowledge. 



Washington^ D. C 



