233 
ON THE ENGLISH MINTS. 
* 
By J. G. BakeHj Esa. 
(Plate XXXIV.) 
Mentha, like Rosa, is a genus which once was studied very carefully 
in Britain- but which has been comparatively neglected of late years. 
Tlie fullest accounts which we have of the indigenous species, Sole's 
* Menthse Britannica?/ and the third volume of Sniith's ' Endish 
Flora/ bear date respectively 1798 and 1S25. Having recently paid 
some attention to the genus, and passed through my hands a large 
number of English and Continental specimens, I have ventured to 
think that it might not be unprofitable to attempt a rather more ex- 
tended enumeration of the English forms, and a comparison of them 
with those of the adjacent parts of the Continentj than it is convenient 
to give in a Flora. The best account of the German Mints with which 
I am acquainted is that of Dr. Wirtgen, of Coblentz, whose publislied 
descriptions (' Flora of the Ehine Province/ etc.) and fasciculi of 
specimens excellently illustrate one another. His third edition of the 
fasciculus has been issued only very lately, and as it contains speci- 
mens of upwards of a hundred forms^ we may presume that it exhausts 
the snhjcct as ueaiiy as anything of the kind is ever likely to do. Dr. 
F. Schultz's recent writinofs on the o'enus in the ' Flora ' and ' Pollichia ' 
O" "" ^"^ o 
I know only at second-hand. Of the French Menthce there is an elaborate 
enumeration in the third editionofBoreau's^FloreduCentredelaFrance.' 
For an excellent set of specimens of many of the plants which M. Boreau 
describes, 1 have twice been indebted to M. Dcscglise. Much information 
relative to the MentJue of the south-west of France is contained in 
M. Timbal-Lagrave's *Essai monographique sur les espcces, varictes et 
hybrides du genre Mentha qui croissent dans les Pyrenees centrales.' 
In London and at Kew I have examined the collections of Buddie, 
Linnceus, Smith, Sowerby, Forster, and Borrcr. For the opportunity of 
studying leisurely an almost complete set of specimens of the foiins 
figured by Sole, I am indebted to Mr. John Hardy, of Manchester. My 
own set of specimens was burnt with the rest of my collection a year 
ago, but in writing out these notes I have had the use of the very com- 
plete set of English Mints belonging to Mr. Syme, and, in procuring 
several of the books, used the liberal aid of the Rev. W. W. Ncwbould. 
VOL. III. [august 1, 18C5.] U 
