:r88 THE JOURNAL OF PHARMACOLOGY. 



is found we naturally, and, indeed, of necessity, turn to its key to locate 

 the required genus. Now we find that the key is broken up into a great 

 number of parts and sub-parts, and that these are scattered from the first 

 to almost the last page of the part. There is, it is true, a general key to 

 the parts of the key, but there is nothing to indicate where these parts are to 

 be found, and the page-turning method must be again resorted to. No index 

 or key whatever is provided for the synonyms. In a postscript to 

 the entire work a complete index, including synonyms, has been fur- 

 nished, but this only in part atones for its want in connection with 

 the several volumes. Wherever the authors have substituted a new 

 name for that by which the genus has previously been known, and 

 such cases are very numerous, the only possible way to find it is to know 

 in advance what the change is, and this is manifestly impossible in' 

 most cases. The successful use of a reference-book thus constructed 

 implies a perfect familiarity with its subject-matter, and it is obvious 

 that exactly in proportion as this familiarity is possessed, the neces- 

 sity for using it is absent. It is fair to judge that the authors did not 

 have in mind the wants of those who were to use the book. Everyone 

 who has found it necessary to make any extended use of the book has 

 been obliged to expend an amount of labor in preparing indices and keys 

 worth more than its original cost. The generic descriptions of the Pflan- 

 zenfamilien are of the most fragmentary character. Indeed, they can 

 hardly be called descriptions at all, but mere diagnoses. The employment 

 of illustrations is a redeeming feature, but this is very partial, and the 

 figures are for the most part not well selected from the standpoint of the 

 user's needs, however well they may accord with the specialized ideas of 

 the authors. 



Contrasting all this with the English work, we find the latter composed 

 of three volumes, of seven parts, each preliminary part with a full index, 

 which is duplicated in the index of the volume. In these indices all 

 synonyms (or the names treated as such) are printed in italics, those 

 treated as names in Roman. Complete keys precede each family, the 

 numbering of the genera affording a perfect means of reference. The 

 amount of time required for doing reference work by this book is certainly 

 not more than one-fifth of that required for the Pfianzenfamilien, and 

 much of the latter cannot possibly be done at all, except by the aid of the 

 Genera, used as a key. When the required genus is found in the Genera 

 we have a complete, systematic and orderly description, leaving nothing 

 wanting to a decision. 



I have devoted much time to the preparation of the accompanying com- 

 parative table, setting forth the composition and the arrangement of the 

 two systems, which will, I am sure, be found of assistance to botanists in 

 various ways. 



