( ix ) 



may lead to this delightful fcience, may by a 

 little application^ from hence be enabled fcien- 

 tifically to examine and arrange, not only thofe 

 of the flirubby, but the feveral and various 

 fpecies of the herbaceous clafs. The foreigner^ 

 curious in American collections, will be here- 

 by better enabled to make a feledion fuitable 

 to his own particular fancy. If he wifhes to 

 cultivate timber for oeconomical purpofes, he 

 is here informed ot our valuable Foreft Trees: 

 if for adorning his plantation or garden of 

 our different ornamental flowering Ihrubs. 



The author would have been happy, could 

 he have given alfo a defcriptive Catalogue of 

 our native herbaceous plants. At prefent, 

 circumftances oblige him to confine himfelf 

 to Foreft Trees and Shrubs ; however he has 

 fuch a work in contemplation fhould this • 

 meet with the encouragement of the public. 



He is well aware that many improvements 

 might have been made, with regard to the 

 form and manner of defcription, as well as 

 by the addition of Synonyms, Notes of re- 

 ference, Sec. but, upon reflecfliiig that the ge- 

 nerality of his Readers would have been more 

 embarralTed and confiifed than profited there- 

 by, he was determined to ufe the moft plain 

 and familiar method and language, in order 

 to render the work as generally ufeful as pofTi- 

 ble; this being the chief end and defign of the 

 undertaking. 



b 



