ii PREFACE. 



The Collections in the Garden of the Society have re- 

 ceived many important additions, and, notwithstanding the 

 losses occasioned by two unfavourable summers, a large pro- 

 portion of the most interesting of the new plants introduced 

 have been distributed very generally among the Fellows, 

 and dispersed over all parts of the Kingdom. In the orna- 

 mental department, the most extensive and valuable of these 

 collections is unquestionably that formed by Mr. David 

 Douglas, whose mission to the North-west Coast of Ame- 

 rica was announced in the Preface to the last volume. Shortly 

 after its publication, he returned to England, bringing with 

 him even a far greater number of plants and seeds than 

 he had previously sent home. Of the species thus intro- 

 duced about 210 have been raised in the Gardens of the 

 Society, and after having abandoned the multiplication of 

 those which presented no other interest than as Botanical 

 curiosities, 130 species are now growing, and nearly the whole 

 of which have been furnished to the Fellows, and to the 

 principal Public Gardens in correspondence with the Society 

 on all parts of the Continent. The peculiar value attached 

 to these plants, which are hardy enough to bear our climate 

 without any protection in winter, many of which are also dis- 

 tinguished by their great beauty, has induced the Council 

 to engage the same indefatigable collector to undertake 

 a fresh expedition to the same country, with such additional 

 means and assistance as the difficulties experienced by 

 him in his former journey had rendered necessary. 



