408 BOOK-NOTES, NEWS, ETC. 



in its more legitimate sphere as au institution which promotes the 

 development of economic botany in our colonies, and indeed through- 

 out the world. It is, however, sometimes urged, and with some show 

 of reason, that the Gardens might be made of greater use in con- 

 nection with horticultural and agricultural experiments. 



It is only fair, however, to say that the literary side of Kew is 

 not altogether neglected. A paragraph in the daily papers informs 

 us that "the first copy of Tlie Puetrij of Kew Gardens, an album of 

 twenty-four reproductions of paintings by M. and Mme. C. A. de 

 I'Aubiniere, with an introduction and short history of the Royal 

 Gardens themselves by Mr. W. T. Thiselton-Dyer, G.M.G., F.R.S., 

 the director, has been accepted by the Queen, and Her Majesty has 

 commanded her thanks to be conveyed to the artists for their 

 beautiful work. The process by which the pictures are reproduced 

 is the invention of Count Ostorog, and the album is got up by the 

 Chiswick Press. The originals are to be seen at the North Gallery, 

 Royal Gardens, Kew." 



A TEMPORARY exhibition has been made in the Natural History 

 Museum of a selection from the large collection of original drawings 

 preserved in the Department of Botany. The drawings exhibited 

 include examples of the brothers Bauer, Sydenham Edwards, 

 G.D. Ehret, Mrs. Withers, W. H. Fitch, Sidney Parkinson, James 

 Sowerby, J. F. Miller, F. P. N odder, J. C. Dietzsch, and W. G. Smith. 



The last (July) part of the Icones Plantanwi is somewhat 

 wanting in interest. This may be partly accounted for by the 

 fact that the contributions with which Professor Oliver has for 

 so many years enriched its pages have now entirely ceased, while, 

 so far, the new editor. Dr. Dyer, has not contributed anything to 

 compensate for the great loss which science has sustained by the 

 withdrawal of his learned predecessor from active botanical work. 

 A series of nine plates illustrating the species of Amomum will 

 be useful to those who have to deal with these difficult plants ; 

 and the following new genera are described : — StenoUnou Baker 

 (Amaryllidieffi : Central Africa) ; Gamotiella Stapf (Gramineffi, 

 Agrostidea) : Philippines); Batesanthus N. E. Brown (Asclepiadere, 

 Periplocese : Cameroons). 



We regret to announce the deaths of Mr. F. C. S. Roper, of 

 Eastbourne, and Mr. Thomas Hick, of Owens College, Manchester. 

 We hope to give some account of the deceased botanists in our 

 next issue. 



Messrs. H. N. Dixon and H. G. Jameson's Student's Handbook 

 of British Musses has been published, and will be noticed at length 

 in an early number of this Journal. It forms a handsome volume 

 containing nearly GOO pages and 60 plates. 



The list of "First Records of British Flowering Plants" will 

 shortly be concluded, and will then be issued in book-form. Any 

 additions or corrections should be forwarded to the author, W. A. 

 Clarke, Esq., F.L.S., 1, Warnborough Road, Oxford, for inclusion 

 in the appendix to the list. 



