A FLORA OF CALIFORNIA, 
by W. L. Jepson. 
‘This beginning of the California Flora is out in two parts, 
dealing with the Coniferze and willow family, birches, oaks, wal- 
nuts, wax myrtles and nettles. 
From the manner in which they are gotten out it would seem 
that they are intended more as advertisers. advance shects, than 
as parts of a flora. There is nothing to tell how many parts there 
are to be or what is the ultimate cost of the completed flora. This 
follows the bad precedent of the German books, and most foreign 
works that run up so high as to be almost prohibitive in the end. 
In order to get at the approximate final cost of this work if com- 
pleted as planned we find that the two numbers issued cost $1.70 
for 64 pp. These 64 pp. are equal to 4] pp. of Watson's * lora of 
California and therefore the Jepson Flora when complete will 
te about 1735 pp. which cannot be contained in less than two 
u 
How Mr. Jepson can finish this work as planned must be an enig- 
ma to all except himself, and hov’ he can ever be reimbursed for 
the outlay is also an enigma. It is, in the judgment of the writer, 
wrong to publish a work in this way for many people unable to 
buy will subscribe for it without counting the final cost and_it will 
work great hardship on them. 
The book is evidently planned on the style of Watsen’s superb 
work that will ever stand as a monument to Watson’s genius. It 
i i There are 
n in fineness 
of execution and printing. The heliotype reproductions of photo- 
graphs are artistically selected. The typographical work is of the 
highest order-and the proof reading excellent. : 
In the matter of nomenclature the author follows the sensi- 
ble method approved by the best botanists. He rejects the silly 
Brittonian dictum “once a synonym always a synonym,” and ap- 
pears to approve of the Vienna rules as a whole. 
His conception of specific limitation is sound and in accord- 
ance with the results of field study. His conception of generic 
