PREFACE 
xiii 
purposely omitted, as figures of these are already available in 
many works on British botany. 1 A considerable number of Simla 
plants also occur in Britain, and this is noted at the end of the 
description, together with the common English name. 
Thanks to the kindness of Sir William Thiselton-Dyer, 
Director of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, I have enjoyed the 
great advantage of preparing this work in the Herbarium, being thus 
enabled to supplement my own imperfect collection of Simla 
plants by the largest and best-named collection of Indian and 
Himalayan plants in existence. Working in the Herbarium has 
also given me free access to the numerous rare and beautifully 
illustrated works in the Library, and has placed me in communica- 
tion with the officers of the Herbarium Staff, for whose unfailing 
courtesy and readiness to afford me the advice and assistance for 
which I was perpetually asking I beg to offer my hearty thanks 
and acknowledgments. I am under obligations of this nature to 
the whole of the staff, but it is to Mr. W. Botting Hemsley, F.R.S., 
the Keeper, that I am most deeply indebted ; indeed, if my book 
should be found to possess any merit, it is to him that credit is 
due. He kindly read the whole of the manuscript while the work 
was in progress, and the drawings were all made under his super- 
vision. To Mr. N. E. Brown I owe the determination of many 
critical specimens, while Mr. C. B. Clarke, F.R.S., was never 
weary of giving me the benefit of his wide knowledge of Indian 
plants and accurate botanical judgment. I am also under many 
and deep obligations to the undermentioned : — Sir Dietrich 
Brandis, K.C.I.E., F.R.S., etc., late Inspector General of Forests 
to the Government of India ; Mr. J. S. Gamble, C.I.E., F.R.S., 
late Conservator of Forests, and Director of the Imperial Forest 
School, Dehra Dun; F. J. Duthie, B.A., F.L.S., Director of the 
Botanical Department, Northern India ; Sir George King, 
1 Excellent figures of all the British species of Flowering Plants and Ferns, 
as understood by Bentham, will be found in ‘ Illustrations of the British Flora,’ 
by W. H. Fitch and W. G. Smith, published by Messrs. Reeve & Co., London. 
