PREFACE. 



within the short period of twelve months. Many very reasonable 

 excuses can be made for those who may not be ready at a brief 

 notice to espouse a new cause, or support a new venture ; but we 

 hope that when we have demonstrated to them that our Journal 

 has become established, having entered upon its second year, these 

 excuses will vanish. To all who have assisted us so liberally and 

 freely in the past, our thanks are due, not forgetting those who, by 

 subscribing their names, gave us encouragement to venture upon 

 an undertaking which seemed to promise only great losses and no 

 profits. Finally, we commend ourselves and our work to all British 

 Botanists, and urge them, for the sake of so small an annual sum, 

 not to hesitate in giving us their support. It will be an honour to 

 them if they enable us to continue, and even to enlarge and improve 

 a journal of this character, and prove that Britain as well as Ger- 

 many can sustain a Cryptogamic Journal. Increased support alone 

 will enable us to augment the number of pages, and continue 

 coloured illustrations as hitherto. Our success has been great, and 

 we rely upon the good fellowship of our Botanical and Micro- 

 scopical friends to make it greater still. The best road to improve- 

 ment will lie through an augmented list of subscribers. 



