THE AMERICAN BOTANIST 27 



altering our system of nomenclature in order to exalt the first 

 namer of a plant, that it is only to be expected that a number 

 of I-saw-it-first scientists should be developed. After looking- 

 through a few volumes of botanical papers, a hasty man might 

 make the assumption that botanists are in the business chiefly 

 for the glory they can squeeze out of it ; after reading still fur- 

 ther, it may be doubted whether he would find much reason to 

 change his mind. 



^ SfC ^ 



At last the long-delayed indices to volumes 5, 6, 7, 8 and 

 9 of this journal have been printed. Since these can be of only 

 cursoiy interest to those who do not possess the volumes 

 named, they will not be mailed to our entire subscription list. 

 We shall send copies to all public libraries, and schools to which 

 the magazine goes and to those subscribers known to possess 

 complete sets. If any owners of sets chance to have been over- 

 looked, we shall be glad to mail them the indices as soon as 

 notified. Since the edition is limited — only enough having 

 been printed to complete the volumes still unsold and to fill the 

 estimated demand from subscribers — it would be well to get 

 requests in earh'. A delay may mean disappointment. 



BOOKS AND WRITERS. 



One does not botanize long in any extensive region before 

 perceiving that a striking difference exists between the plants 

 of bog, swamp, sand dune, woodland and cliff. Adjacent re- 

 gions, though exposed to identical conditions as regards heat, 

 sunlight and rainfall, may nevertheless bear very different 

 groups of plants and the inference is unavoidable that this dif- 

 ference is due principally to the soil. The grouping of the 

 plants, however, is not of a hap-hazard character, but on the 

 contrary is so definite that a good lx)tanist can make a pretty 

 accurate list of at least the genera in a given locality without 

 even seeing it. To take a simple instance, who would not, if 



