P R E F A C F
3
ASMALL quarto volume of 104 pages, intitlcd " The Abietira:," prepared in 1850 for the firm of PRTF.R LAWSON SON,
of Edinburgh, formed the nucleus of the present volumes. Its publication was the result of an attempt to elevate
the ordinaiy trade pricc-list of a nurser>'m.in into a work of reference; and the example thus set has since been followed
by nurserymen in this country, on the Continent, and in America. The preparation of it was attended with a considerable
amount of labour, research, and correspondence; and the result was an accumulation of material, only a small portion of
which was available for " The Abietins," It was with the view of utilising the store of information I had thus acquired that
the idea of bringing out a larger work on the Coniferas arose, and the plan of the " Pinetum Britannicum" was in conscqucnce
elaborated.
As its production involved considerable outlay, it was deemed prudent to secure a sufficient amount of support before
iuciu-ring the risk and responsibilities attendant on the preparation of so costly a series of volumes; and an arrangement
was entered into with Me.ssrs. PEREK L.VW.SON & SON, in virtue of which tliey were to take one hundred copies, and in
consideration therefor the work was to bear the title of " Lawson s Pinetum Britannicum," a title which is engraved on all the
plates issued vvhile that tirm was in existcucc. A generous support was also accorded by the late HMPI-UOR NAPOLMON III.,
who caused thirty copics to bc distributed .nmong the Schools of Forestry and Agriculture in various parts of the Prench
Kmpire. Proof sheets of several of the species were then submitted to the inspection of the QCKEN, through the late
Dowager Duchess of SuT!IEKI.ANN; and by Her Majesty's command the work was dedicated to the Illustrious Memory of the
PIUNCE CONSORT, that great and good and wise Princc, for whom the nation was then in the first year of its mourning.
Nearly one hundred priv.ite Subscribers were afterwards obtained, and with this assured support the "Pinetum
Britannicum" was commenced. The fall of the Second Empire, the transfer of the business of PI-II;R LAWSON & SON to
a Limited Liability Company, and the consequent cessation of their subscriptions, rendered it impossible to continue the
publication except at a great loss, and it w.is for some time suspended. Last year, however, with the view of keeping faith
with the private Subscribers, it was determined to finish the work, in the hope that in its complete form a sufficient number
of copies may be sold to repay tho cost of production.
Although a purely personal matter, it is considered that this explanation is due to those Subscribers who have
continued their support, notwithstanding the long interruption of the work.
When the " Pinetum Britannicum" was projected, Mr. ROHKRT BROWN, then Keeper of the Botanical Department of
the British Museum, was consulted, as he had rendered great service to me while preparing " The Abiding," and specially in
the systematic arrangement of the genera and species. By advice of Mr. BROWN, negotiations were entered into vvith the
late Dr. LINOI.HV for the preparation of the botanic.al descriptions; but after a short time his health failed, and it bccamc
nccessary to obtain additional aid, when I was so fortunate as to secure the valuable services of Mr. ANDRI;W MURRAY,
Assistant Secretar>- to the Royal Horticultural Socicty. Mr. MUUUAV wa.-; at that time engaged on a monograph of the
genus Ccdrxs; and the descriptions in \'ol. I I I . of the three recogniscd species, Libani. Dcodara, and A l l a v f k a (although
the two last .ire considered by him to be varieties only of C Libani) arc adapted in part from this monograph, which,
however, remained unfinished at the time of his clc.ith.
Dr. I.INDI.i-v's connexion with the work ceased on the appearancc of Part 3, and from Part 4 to Part 36, the
scientific, Ixitanical. and structural descriptions were contributed by Mr. .MURR.W. On the resumption of the publication
last year, Dr. MA.XWI-LL T. MASTIIRS, the succcssor of Dr. LINDLKY in the editorship of the Gardeners' Chroniclc,
undertook to revise the scicntific bot.inical portions of the remaining Parts. He also supplied the description of Cufiressus
mucrocarpa.
It remains to pkice on record the valu.ible assistance received during the progress of the work from the late Mr.
LAW.S0.N', the \'enerablc head of the firm of PHTUR LAWSO.N & SON, and from Mr. PurKR S. RomcRTSON and Mr. WN.I.IAXT
OoRRiE, both now deceased, managers in succession of the Lawson Nurseries, at Edinburgh. The late -Mr. JAMR,s M'NA«,
of the koy.d Bot.inic Gardens, Hdinburgh, also communicated valuable practical information on the culture and treatment of
the more recently introduced species of Conifer».
Dr.
m