INTRODUCTION.

7

with existing engravings and descriptioris; but we have also inpart relied on the identifications of other botanists.*

In giving the synonymes, we have adopted the same rule as ingiving the identifications.

Though we have used every exertion in our power to renderthis Work as correct, in a botanical and technical point of view,as possible, yet what we consider to be its great practical value(and that which will contribute more than any other cause to themain end which we have in view, viz. that of diffusing a tastefor planting collections of trees and shrubs,) is, that we havedescribed scarcely any tree or shrub which we have not seenourselves, in a living state, within ten miles of London. Someexceptions are necessarily introduced; but, whenever this is done,it is either indicated by the paragraph relating to that tree orshrub being in very small type ; or, by our indicating in words,or by some other means, that we have not seen the piant.

The shrubs, as far as practicable, we shall illustrate by en-gravings of botanical specimens, to be given along with the text ;and ali these will be to one and the same scale, of 2 in. to 1 ft.Engravings of the trees will be chiefly given in 8vo or 4toplates, apart from the text; and each of these plates will con-tain a pictorial portrait of the tree, and a botanical specimen.The pictorial portraits will be of two kinds: first, portraits oftrees which have been planted ten or twelve years within tenmiles of London, ali to the same scale; and, secondly, portraitsof full-grown trees, chiefly within the same limits, ali to anotherscale.f The use of the first class of portraits is, to show, at asingle glance, the comparative bulk which different trees attainin a given climate in a given period ; as well as to indicate howfar different kinds of trees, at this early age, show anythingcharacteristic in their shape. The portraits of the full-growntrees, it is almost unnecessary to observe, are given in order toexhibit their ultimate magnitude and character. By merelyglancing over these portraits, a planter will see atonce, first, theeffect which any given tree, purchasable in British nurseries,will produce at ten years’ growth; and, secondly, what its ap-pearance will be when it has arrived at its average size.

It will be found that in this Work we have, in various instances,reduced the number of species, and even, in some cases, of va-

* For example, in the case of the very first species described, Clematisflammula, having convinced ourselves that our piant was that described byne Candolle ( Prod vol. i. p. 2.), we have not hesitated to give the identifi-cations and synonymes quoted by that eminent author; adding, however, theMentifications and synonymes of subsequent authors from our own exami-ni; 1101 ! of their works. In the piant referred to we have added to the iden-‘^ons of De Candolle, Hayne’s Dendrologia and Don’s Millcr.

T See the Explanatory References, which precede the Table of Contents.