INTRODUCTION 
(By W. Botting Hemsley) 
In the foregoing biographical sketch Sir William Thiselton-Dyer 
has expressed feelings shared by myself and others who were more 
or less associated with the Author in connection with this work, 
and I need go no further into personal matters than to explain the 
extent of my responsibility. Sir Henry’s Preface is much too 
modest concerning himself, and much too lavish in acknowledg- 
ment of assistance from others. As a matter of fact, although he 
consulted me on many points from the beginning, and I made 
considerable alterations in his manuscript of the early Orders, 
I have in no instance referred back to the plants themselves in 
connection with the descriptions. 
The first serious attack of illness overtook Sir Henry just after 
the first sheet was set up in type, and while the questions of style 
and typography were still under consideration. When sufficiently 
recovered, towards the end of the year 1900, to discuss the matter, 
he arranged with my daughter to correct the proofs, under my 
supervision. The body of the work was then practically completed, 
but it was the Author’s wish to revise some portions of it, more 
especially that relating to the Grasses and the Preface. His 
health improved so much that we all hoped he would be able to 
carry out his intentions ; but although his interest in the work 
was unabated to the very last, he was unable to do any more than 
settle points of detail as the printing progressed. The Preface 
was written before his illness ; hence the absence of any mention 
of the arrangement made with Miss Hemsley. I think it im- 
portant to put this fact on record, because I could not undertake 
to read the proofs through myself ; and this may explain errors 
overlooked that I might or ought to have detected had I read 
them all critically. 1 
1 It is unfortunate that a few synonyms were not included by the Author, 
because it sometimes happens that they have been more used in previous 
publications than the names adopted in the present work ; for instance, Picea 
Morinda is comparatively familiar in English gardens under the synonym of 
