P R O S P E C T U S .
stantly employed in encreasing my store, by making drawings of the most interesting materials, furnished bv a
large and richly stored herbareum. J
It now only remains for me to indicate the plan of the work. My first thought was to publish it in monthly
numbers of 10 plates each, on further consideration it occurred to me that numbers of 20 plates, but less frequent,
would be a more judicious plan, as being so much more economical in postage to distant subscribers
The kindness of Dr. Wallich and other friends, having so largely augmented my means of proceeding with the
work at a more rapid rate, has induced me to extend my original plan, by endeavouring to publish the larger
numbers monthly, in place of every two months. With this view I am now in treaty with a well qualified
Lithographer, and should I succeed in procuring his assistance, have little doubt of being able to accomplish
my object. The plan now contemplated therefore, is to publish monthly, along with the Illustrations
the successive numbers of this work. The plates it will be observed are not numbered consecutively this is*
for the convenience of systematic arrangement. The method which I adopt and would recommend to others
is to provide a port-folio, and arrange the plates in the order of their numbers, as they come out. By this
contrivance every facility of reference will be enjoyed, that the present methodical distribution of the vegetable
kingdom affords, and for more ready consultation, I would advise them to mark off each number on the mar
gin of the Prodromus, as it is figured. By this plan that work becomes an index to this. In those instances
where plants not described in the Prodromus are introduced, their place in the series will be indicated by a double
number thus 0 X 0 which may be equally noted on the margin of the Prodromus. The explanations of the
plates will be printed on one side of the paper only, to allow of their being cut out and attached to the plate for
ready reference. Those for this number will accompany the next.
PREFACE.
I n concluding the first Volume of this work it can scarcely be required of me, as happens
to some authors, to prove that it is wanted or to point out in what respects it is calculated
to supersede the labours of those who have gone before since in truth, so far as Indian Botany
is concerned, no similar work exists with which to compare it. In its plan and execution
it differs widely from those of Rheede and Rumphius, each of whom have given
figures of a vast number of Indian plants, but these often so rudely and incorrectly delineated
that to this day many of the plants represented are unknown and in scarcely a single instance are
their analytical details, apart from general habit, such as to enable even the most accomplished
Botanist to say from them to what natural order theplantbelongs. The somewhat more modern
works of the two Burmans and Plukenet are little if at all in advance of them, though all very
useful in aiding the determination of the plant they meant in their now nearly unintelligible
descriptions. Modern works are not liable to the charge of want of precision, but of these
the list is'scanty, those of Roxburgh, Wallich, and Royle, being the only ones expressly
devoted to the elucidation of Indian plants. Those of the two first named Botanists, though
works of great merit, are yet on so magnificent and expensive a scale as to limit their usefulness
to the cabinet, besides which they are already nearly out of print. That of Dr. Royle
though not liable, to the same extent, to these objections, is scarcely applicable to this portion
of India, its illustrations being confined to the flora of the temperate regions of the Himalayas,
the plants figured are almost all unknown in the warmer climate of the south; lastly,
but a very small number of the plants figured in this work have been published in either of
these three.
Since then, this publication does not interfere with any of its predecessors, it only remains for
rue to show that it is wanted here. This has been in part already done, in the prospectus
which accompanied the first number to which I beg to refer. To what is there advanced I
may now add, the great advantage of pictures in conveying to the mind’s eye a quicker perception
than words can do, of the distinctive peculiarities of an unknown plant, [n ‘descriptions,
besides, when not drawn up by a professed Botanist, a laxity of terms is generally
introduced, accompanied with such a want of analytical information that no one, whether a
Botanist or not, can possibly make out what is meant, for in truth they convey no precise or
definite idea. When we turn to the often elaborate descriptions of the older Botanists we find
them utterly valueless in enabling us to picture to the imagination the plant they are describing.
If we take, for example, those of Rheede, we find them, apart from his 'plates, nearly incomprehensible,
but assisted by them, making allowance for embellishments and even occasionally for
a jumble of two or three things into one, (as the drawings were not made by a Botanist) we
are enabled, with the aid of specimens, to recognize most of his plants. This single fact shews
the great value of even bad plates towards the advancement of Natural history, and to Botany
where the number of objects of study is so great, they are, even in the present advanced state of
the science, quite indispensable, especially to the young Botanist. In the preface to my
illustrations I have shown, I hope satisfactorily, the great advantages derived from the
natural method of studying plants, adverted to the almost universal adoption of this system
by scientific Botanists, and mentioned that an intimate acquaintance with a few species only
of an order, will often enable even a young Botanist rapidly to acquire a competent know