While  sufl&ciently  scientific  to  suit  the  requirements  of
the  botanist,  it  is  not  such  a  mass  of  technical  terms  as  to
confuse  the  culturist ;  and'  any  person  with  a  moderate
knowledge  of  the  common  terms  of  botany  can  read  it  un-
derstandingly,  and  with  profit.    The  arrangement  according


Tiii  Introduction,

to  the  Natural  system  is  in  accordance  with  the  present
progi-ess  of  botanical  science.
The  American  reader  must,  however,  adopt  the  cultural
recommendations  of  the  volume  with  much  caution,  and
make  much  allowance  for  the  statements  as  to  the  hardiness
of  the  various  plants.  It  must  continually  be  borne  in
mind  that  the  book  is  written  for  the  latitude  of  England,
where  many  plants  are  hardy  which  will  not  survive  our
winters,  and  to  which  country  many  plants  are  indigenous
which  are  to  us  exotics.
Of  the  illustrations  we  cannot  speak  too  highly.  Yet  we
need  give  no  word  of  praise,  for  they  are  too  attractive  to
be  carelessly  passed  over  by  even  the  most  negligent  reader.
While  we  cannot  hope  that  the  volume  is  above  criticism,
and  are  free  to  confess  that  in  some  respects  improvement
might  be  made,  we  welcome  the  book  as  a  great  aid  to  all
lovers  of  flowers,  as  an  invaluable  hand-book  of  botanical
knowledge,  and  one  which  will  supply  a  long-felt  want,  and
will  be  of  the  greatest  value,  both  to  culturist  and  student.
Edwabd  S.  Rakd,  Jb.
Glen  Bxdoe,  March,  1873.
PEEFAOE.
The  fbimcifal  object  of  the  compiler  of  this  volume  is  to
furnish  something  between  a  mere  dictionary  of  names  and  a
scientific  treatise  containing  nothing  beyond  technical  descrip-.
