During the First World War, the people of Britain realized that they had been dependent on Germany for drugs and that the current war had driven the prices of medication higher and higher. Seeing that people were showing a renewed interest in the efficacy of plants as medicine, Davis wrote this guide to help people recognize plants with medicinal properties and to recognize those which were poisonous. In many cases, the book describes how and which parts of the plant to collect, the 'present' source of supply, and how to cultivate.

Direct reproduction of the work originally published : London : Blackie and Son, 1918. Includes index.

Structure of the flower -- Physiology of plants -- Monocotyledons -- Dicotyledons: Incompletae -- Dicotyledons : Polypetalae I -- Dicotyledons : Polypetalae II -- Dicotyledons : Gamopetalae I -- Dicotyledons : Gamopetalae II -- Dicotyledons : Gamopetalae III -- Trees and shrubs.