THE 



JOURNAL OF BOTANY 



BRITISH AND FOREiaN. 



EDITED BY 



JAMES BRITTEN, K.C.S.G., FJ..S. 



LATE SENIOR ASSISTANT, DEPARTMENT OF BOTANY, BRITISH MUSEUM. 



The Journal of Botany was established in 1863 by Seemann. 

 In 1872 the editorship was assumed by Dr. Henry Trimen, who, 

 assisted during part of the time by Mr. J. G-. Baker and Mr. Spencer 

 Moore, carried it on until the end of 1879, when he left England for 

 Ceylon. Since then it has been in the hands of the present Editor. 



Without professing to occupy the vast field of General Botany, the 

 Journal has from its inception filled a position which, even now, is 

 covered by no other periodical. It affords a ready and prompt 

 medium for the publication of new discoveries, and appears regularly 

 and punctually on the 1st of each month. While more especially 

 concerned with systematic botany, observations of every kind are 

 welcomed. Especial prominence has from the first been given to 

 British botany, and it may safely be said that nothing of primary 

 importance bearing upon this subject has remained unnoticed. 



Bibliographical matters have also received and continue to receive 

 considerable attention, and the history" of man}'^ obscure ^publications 

 has been elucidated. Every number contains reviews of new and 

 important books written by competent critics : in this as in every 

 other respect a strictly independent attitude has been maintained. 

 While in no way officially connected with the Department of Botany 

 of the British Museum, the Journal has from the first been controlled 

 by those whose acquaintance with the National Herbarium has 

 enabled them to utilize its pages for recording facts of interest and 

 importance regarding the priceless bota-nical collections which the 

 Museum contains. 



Until the beginning of the late War the Journal paid its way 

 and even allowed a slight margin of profit ; but during that period 

 the subscribers were reduced in number, and the continental circula- 

 tion almost ceased. It has now regained its position, but the in- 

 creased cost of production, which has not as j'-et been substantially 

 reduced, has resulted in an annual deficit which at one time became 

 so serious that the continuance of the Journal was threatened. By 

 the generosit}^ of those who felt that its cessation would be a mis- 

 fortune, especially for British botanists whose principal organ it has 

 always been, the deficit has been met and an appeal is now made 

 for an increased number of subscribers 



