xW PREFACE, 
names to all, fhort, eafy, and oftentimes 
lignificant, a thing never fo much as at- 
tempted before. He has brought into 
botany, a precifion, concifenefs and ele- 
gance, that were very much wanted. He 
has obferved and given names to fome parts 
of plants not taken notice of by any other 
botanift, parts which in fome cafes are fuf- 
ficient as well as necefiary to diftinguifh 
the genus and the fpecies. 
The Philofophia botanica b of this author 
affords throughout inftances of this re- 
formation. Had he wrote no other book 
but this, he would have deferved the 
higheft praife from all lovers of botany. 
For befidesthe improvements juft mention- 
ed it comprehends in a fhort compafs fome- 
b In the year 1750. when he was writing this book 5 
as he tells us in the preface to it, he was hindered from 
going on by a terrible fit of the gout, that broke the 
firength of his mind as well as body. In the year 1755, 
he fays, Flor. Suec. article 450. that he had been freed 
from the gout for fome years by eating great quantities 
of frefh jftrawberries. He adds that this fruit difiolves 
the tartar of the teeth, that it is remarkably good for 
people afflifted with the fione or gout, and that it may 
be fafely eaten in abundance. 
