PREFACE. 



engravings ; and this circumstance, together with the important one of all the specific 

 names being literally translated, will, by giving the meaning of almost all the terms used in 

 botanical description, in a great measure supersede the necessity of a grammar of botany 

 to the young gardener. The literal translation of the specific names may be considered as, 

 to a certain extent, teaching him the Latin language, and the etymologies of the generic 

 names will give him the meaning of a number of Greek words. The species of every 

 genus, where numerous, are subdivided into sections and subsections, which are shortly 

 defined by specific characters ; and so copious are the descriptive particulars after each 

 species, that we will venture to assert that the genus to which any plant belongs being 

 known, the specific name, in a majority of cases, may be discovered by this Catalogue without 

 the aid of a Species Plantcirum. 



In the popular descriptions of the Natural Orders, the medicinal properties and econo- 

 mical uses are slightly noticed ; and the soil, propagation, and general treatment of the 

 different groups indicated ; so that this part of the work, in our opinion the most valuable 

 collection of botanical facts that has ever been brought into so small a space, may be con- 

 sidered an epitome of the history, uses, and culture of the whole vegetable kingdom. Who- 

 ever has a sufficient theoretical and practical knowledge of plants and of vegetable culture 

 to generalise on these subjects, will find in this Natural Arrangement the rudiments of every 

 thing that can be said or written on botany, gardening, and agriculture. 



Enumerations of those species which are adapted for culture in the open air in Britain, 

 or in corresponding climates, with an estimate of the quantity of ground which each order 

 or tribe would occupy, are given in the Natural Arrangement, with a view to the form- 

 ation of arboretums or botanic flower-gardens ; but, for an explanation of this improvement, 

 and of its value to the practical gardener, we must refer to p. xxiii. The same propor- 

 tionate enumerations will prove useful in contriving the size of the different drawers, divi- 

 sions, boxes, volumes, or pages, required for preserving a hortus siccus, or collections of 

 drawings, of engravings, of seeds, or of specimens of woods. 



No further explanation appearing necessary in this Preface, it remains for the Editor to 

 state that the Linnasan Arrangement is entirely the work of Mr. George Don ; the 

 Natural Arrangement is founded on that of Professor Lindley, with some additions and 

 alterations rendered necessary by the plan of this Catalogue ; and Dr. Greville., the pro- 

 found cryptogamist, assisted in arranging the Cryptogamia. Those who are acquainted 

 with the present state of botany, and with the botanists of this country, will allow that 

 three gentlemen better adapted for cooperating in producing a Catalogue like that now 

 submitted to the public are not to be found. All that the Editor claims for himself is the 

 plan of the weak, which he certainly considers much superior to anything that has preceded 

 it. The literal translation of the specific names, the derivations of the generic names, the 

 indications of derivations, and, above all, the general descriptions of the Natural Orders, 

 will, he confidently expects, be found not only of great value in determining the names of 

 plants, and in recognising them at sight, both individually and in masses ; but in assisting 

 the botanical student and practical gardener to acquire some knowledge of their structure, 

 physiology, analogies, affinities, properties, uses, and culture. 



Bayswater, May, 1830. . J. C. L. 



After the appearance of the first edition of the Horhis Britannicus in 1830, additional 

 Supplements were published from time to time, as the introduction of new plants rendered 

 lists of them necessary ; but as these Supplements were separate from each other, it was 

 found that they were very troublesome to refer to, and it was at last thought best to amal- 

 gamate them into one, which has been done in the present edition, adding all the new 

 plants which have been introduced since the publication of the last Supplement, up to 

 March in the present year. It has also been thought advisable to transpose the Natural 

 Arrangement to the beginning of the work ; as if it had been left in its former position, 

 it would have occurred almost in the middle of the volume, from the great additions 

 required to the Supplement in order to include all the newly introduced plants. This 

 portion of the work in the present edition is paged in Roman numerals, to avoid repaging 

 the whole of the Linnaean Arrangement, but it is referred to in the Index by means of 

 Arabic figures, on account of the confined space. The whole work has also been carefully 

 revised, and fresh references to engravings of plants have been added; so as to make the 

 work as perfect as possible. 



J. W. L. , 



Bayswalvr, June 18. 18.50. 



