( -^95 ) 
kinds. Now the Number of Plants being in Natare 
(b vaft, its pity to add to it more then there are in Na- 
ture, making two or three of one, thereby both deter- 
ing and confounding the Learner. To clear up theft difB- 
cuJties,afid to reduce all to their proper kinds, no man cao 
be wellqualifiedjbut he that hath a Comprehenfive Know- 
ledge of fuch Plants as grow wild, or are commonly Cul- 
tivated in Gardens here in Europe^ and hath feen the mn- 
defcript Americans^ or fuch as are here lefs known grow- 
ing in their natural places ; and hath read, confidered, 
and compared what hath been written of them, either by 
fuch who have lived fome time in thofe Countries, and 
publiihed Defcriptions or natural Hiftories of them,or by 
fuch as have only made Voyages thither, and given us 
Relations and Accounts of their Travels, and what they 
obferved during their fliort ftay there : All which quali- 
ties occur in our Author. 
Thirdly, This Work is of great ufe to thofe that are 
delighted in reading the Relations and Accounts of Navi- 
gators and TravellerSjto and in thofe parts,to inform them 
concerning the Names of American and Indian Plants,they 
fliall therein meet with, to what Plants they belong, and 
where they may find exad Defcriptions or Charafteri- 
ftick Notes of them. The Author having with infinite 
Pains and Patience, read the moft part of the Books of 
Voyages and Travels extant, referred the Plants he met 
with therein, named or defcribed to their proper Genera, 
or TitlcSjUnder which they are Ranked, and by which 
they are denominated and Charafterized by the moft 
Learned and Skilful Herbarifts of the prefent, or imme- 
diately precedent Age. 
Fourthly jThe Author in this Work hath cleared up and 
refblved many Doubts and DifBcukies, and informed us 
of what Plants are fignificd by many Names frequent in 
the Mouths and Writings of our own Countrey-men, 
of 
