OF NEW SOUTH WALES. 427 



there will turn out to be many other species of equal economic 

 and medicinal value, as soon as the genus shall have been 

 generally studied and cultivated. Meanwhile, frequent reference 

 is made in the English and Continental Press to the subject, 

 and many inquiries for information and for seed are addressed 

 to those persons in this country who are supposed to be in a 

 position to give the assistance required. 



A "First Book on Australian Botany" has also been published 

 by Mr. W. R. Guilfoyle, F.Ui.S., C.M.RB.S., London, Director 

 of the Melbourne Botanic Gardens. It is intended, as the 

 author states in his preface, to familiarise the beginner with 

 the principal parts of plants, and their process of growth, in 

 so simple a manner that any teacher, though previously unac- 

 quainted with the principles of botany, may find no difficulty in 

 comprehending the lessons and explaining them upon the black- 

 board. The book is simple, intelligible, and practical, sufficiently 

 illustrated, and cap .ble of being used to great advantage within 

 the indicated limits. No teacher, however, is worth his salt who 

 will rest satisfied with such a modicum of botanical knowledge 

 as may enable him to put these lessons upon the blackboard. It 

 is also doubtful whether much beyond the Nomenclature of Forms 

 can be taught in this way except by a competent demonstrator 

 of Botanical structure ; but the lessons will, under ordinary skill 

 and energy, serve at least for useful practice in drawing and 

 discrimination of plane outlines of vegetable growth, which is in 

 itself no bad beginning. 



A handbook of the plants of Tasmania has also been published 

 during the last year by the Rev. W. W. Spicer, MA. The list 

 of species is very useful, as placing before the reader a synoptical 

 view of the indigenous plants ; while the glossary, with its litho- 

 graphic illustrations, will be acceptable to young students of 

 botany. The author states that "with a view of facilitating study, 

 the descriptions are arranged on the branched cr binary system, 

 first established by the French naturalist, Lamarc {sic). Under 

 this system, a series of salient characteristics is laid before the 

 reader in pairs, the members of each pair being as nearly as pos- 

 sible opposed in their terms, and each giving rise to a new pair 



