vii 



towards perfection, it is time to attempt 

 something in the form of a regular system 

 for this, and I hope it will not be thought 

 less deserving of a detached treatise, than 

 many of the others that have been thus 

 treated of, though it is much to be la- 

 mented, that the task should have been left 

 to my feeble efforts ; especially when it is 

 considered, that the uncouth manner, in 

 which a practical man is generally obliged 

 to explain his ideas, never fails to operate 

 strongly against his doctrine. 



That the lives of Plants in general are 

 as uncertain as those of animals, is I con- 

 ceive an indisputable fact ; the Proprietor 

 must therefore be prepared, to witness 

 some of his most valuable ones, decline, 

 and die occasionally, through mere old 

 age, or some casual infirmity ; and when 

 the expense, risk, and trouble, (without 

 which few collections are acquired,) are 

 taken into consideration ; it can be an 

 object of no small importance with Gentle - 

 men, to have theirs kept as near to a state 



