M DCC XC.




PREFACE.


The present periodical publication owes its commencement to the repeated
solicitations of several Ladies and Gentlemen, Subscribers to the
Author's BOTANIC GARDEN, who were frequently lamenting the want
of a work, which might enable them, not only to acquire a systematic
knowledge of the Foreign Plants growing in their gardens, but which
might at the same time afford them the best information respecting their
culture--in fact, a work, in which Botany and Gardening (so far as
relates to the culture of ornamental Plants) or the labours of
LINNÆUS and MILLER, might happily be combined.

In compliance with their wishes, he has endeavoured to present them with
the united information of both authors, and to illustrate each by a set
of new figures, drawn always from the living plant, and coloured as near
to nature, as the imperfection of colouring will admit.

He does not mean, however, to confine himself solely to the Plants
contained in the highly esteemed works of those luminaries of Botany and
Gardening, but shall occasionally introduce new ones, as they may
flower in his own garden, or those of the curious in any part of
Great-Britain.

At the commencement of this publication, he had no design of entering on