50 Journal of Travel and Natural History 



BENTHAM AND HOOKER S GENERA PLANTARUM^ 



Note by Editor. — When the last part of this work appeared 

 we immediately saw the difficulty of getting it satisfactorily 

 reviewed in Britain ; for however eminent the critic might be 

 who should undertake the task, it was not to be expected 

 that the public would put much faith in his qualifications 

 to sit in judgment upon Mr Bentham and Dr Hooker. We felt 

 that we must look beyond our own island for some one whose 

 qualifications and position would be sufficient weight to allow his 

 verdict to be accepted as a guide, and we naturally turned to the 

 first botanist on the other side of the channel as best qualified to 

 give an opinion upon the scientific work of the first botanists on 

 this side. Professor De CandoUe has kindly complied with our 

 request, as the reader will see from the following note and ac- 

 companying review : — 



" Genh'e, i6th Dccembre 1867. 



" Monsieur, — Vous m'avez temoigiie le desir de recevoir pour votre Rnnie un 

 article sur le Genera Flantariim de MM. Bentham et Hooker. Un ouvrage 

 de cette importance, dont le merite est pour beaucoup dans les details, a besoin 

 d'etre consulte pendant plusieurs annees pour etre bien apprecie. Cependant 

 il y a quelques reflexions generates qu'on pent enoncer des a present, et je 

 m'empresse de vous envoyer les miennes. EUes sont ecrites en francais et vous 

 paraitre dans la Bihliotheqiie Universe/le de Geneve, cahier de Decembre 1867, 

 mais puisque vous etes le cause de ce travail, je vous en envoie une epreuve que 

 vous pouvez traduire en anglais, si cela vous convient, et publier dans votre 

 journal. Agreez, monsieur I'assurance de ma consideration distingue. 



Alph. de Candolle." 



AT OT a year passes without the publication of a multitude 

 -^ ^ of floras, monographs, and memoirs of all sorts, but the 

 appearance of a Genera Plantarum has always been a rare 

 event in science. The work of Messrs. Bentham and Hooker, 

 of which we jjropose to speak, is, in truth, only the sixth 

 of that nature since the regular establishment of genera 

 at the commencement of last century. In fact, if we put 

 aside the enumerations of new genera, and of genera of 

 particular countries, a small number of incomplete or insignifi- 



* Genera Plantarum ad Exemplaria imprimis in Herbariis Kewcnsibus ser- 

 vata definata ; Auctoribus — G. Bentham et J. D. Hooker. Vol. I. sistens 

 Dicotyledonum Polypetalarum Ordines Ixxxiii. (Kanunculacca: — Cornacea;). 

 Londini : Lovcll Reeve. 1862-67, PP- 1040. 



