8 HISTORICAL SKETCH. 



In 1846 the author of this book published in the 

 Annals of Natural History (Ser. 1. xvii.), and also in a 

 separate form, a Synopsis of British Bubi, adding in the 

 same journal supplements to it in 1847 (Ser. 1. xix.), 1848 

 (Ser. 2. ii.) and 1852 (Ser. 2. xx.), and has given the charac- 

 ters of all the species supposed to inhabit Britain in the 

 successive editions of liis Manual of British Botany (1843, 

 47, 51, 56, Q2, and 67). 



In 1850 the Kev. Andrew Bloxam supplied to Miss 

 Kirby's Flora of Leicestershire a very excellent account of 

 the species which he had ascertained to grow in that county. 



In 1851 the Rev. F. J. A. Hort published a new species 

 {R. imbricatus) in the Annals of Natural History (Ser. 2. 

 vii. 374). 



In 1853 Dr George Johnston included several brambles 

 in his elegant Botany of the Eastern Borders, and mentions 

 the curious fact that the vicar of Norham received tithes of 

 Blackberries (Rubi majores) in the year 1364 (Raine's North 

 Durham, 278). 



In 1858 Mr Bentham published his Handbook of the 

 British Flora, wherein he reduces our Rubi Fruticosi to 

 three, viz. R. Idmus, R. fruticosus, and R. ccesius; thus in- 

 cluding all of them, except R. Idceus (which comprises R. 

 Leesii), under two species. He states it to be his opinion 

 that the supposed series, even when thus restricted, will 

 " very frequently be found to pass imperceptibly into each 

 other." Had not the plan of his whole work been founded 

 upon a similar principle, this might have been considered 

 an easy way of appearing to escape from a difficulty. 



Mr Irvine included the Ruhi in his Illustrated Hand- 

 book in 1858, and states in the Preface that they are de- 

 scribed "in conformity generally with Mr Babington's views." 



