PREFACE. 
The substance of this little book has formed, for 
some years past, the notes used in our Vernacular 
classes. They have, however, been completely re¬ 
vised, and to a great extent altered and re-written. 
The labour in preparing the work has been by no means 
a light one, for‘two reasons :—In the first place, all the 
botanical terms and nomenclature had to be either 
manufactured, or adapted from the Sanskrit; for ob¬ 
vious reasons, the latter course has been generally 
followed, but good significant Sinhalese words have 
always been used when possible, and the terms, I think, 
will be found at least as intelligible to the Sinhalese 
student as are those used in English to the student 
in that language. Secondly, illustrations and ex¬ 
amples have been almost entirely confined to such 
plants as have Sinhalese names. To have gone beyond 
this would have made the book useless to the persons 
for whom it is intended. That the book has many 
imperfections I doubt not, but it has at least the merit 
of being the first attempt at writing a scientific class- 
book in the Sinhalese language. 
My thanks are due to Mr. D. E. Johannes, of the 
Normal School, for valuable assistance whilst the book 
was going through the press, 
Colombo, 22nd May, 1883. 
w: k. j. 
