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                         PREFACE





Since  Loudon published his great work, about seventy-five years ago, no

book  in English  dealing  comprehensively with  the  trees and shrubs

hardy  and  cultivated  in  Britain  has  been  published.   During  that

period an enormous number  of new species have become  available for

cultivation through the  labours of collectors like William Lobb in Chile

and California, Hartweg and Jeffrey in  Western N. America, J. G. Veitch

and  Maries in Japan, Fortune and Wilson in China,  The present work

is an attempt  to bring together brief descriptions  of all  the species and

more important varieties  of hardy woody plants established in cultivation,

with notes on  their distinctive characters, garden value, and culture.   It

is hoped that  it  may prove  of use  to the  numerous  amateurs, country

gentlemen, and landowners  who are interested in shrubs and trees, also

to nurserymen, park superintendents, and to professional gardeners.

   The great accession  of Chinese plants during  the last fourteen  years

has  made  the task a  much more difficult one.   Many of  the plants

introduced by Wilson  are as yet unidentified, and the  hardiness  and

garden value  also of  a great  number  have  not yet  been  definitely

ascertained.   Still,  most of the  earlier introduced  ones  have  been dealt

with,  also  those  of later introduction  that  have flowered  and  been

identified.

   The question of nomenclature  is  always a vexed one.  The only

thing certain is, that it is impossible  to  please everyone.  With regard

to generic names,  I have endeavoured to be as conservative as  possible.

When  botany was largely  under the influence  of the  Hookers  and

Bentham in  England,  and  of Asa Gray in America, the tendency was

towards the reduction  of genera and species.   There is no  doubt the

process was carried too  far.   The merging, for instance, of Mespilus with

Pyrus,  Pterostyrax with Halesia,  Maackia  with  Cladrastis  was not