Xll 



whereof one shall be normal or typical, i. e. possessing the attributes 

 of the group in the highest degrees, while the remaining three are dis- 

 crepant among themselves, abnormal as regards the whole, and double 

 as regards their composition, each dividing into two, and these halves 

 being again divisible by four. In order, therefore, to pursue the en- 

 quiry, we must successfully show that the exogens naturally divide 

 into four minor groups, whereof one is typical and exhibits the per- 

 fection of exogenous stmctme, and this typical group of exogens must 

 again submit to a quaternary division, and so must we pursue the sub- 

 ject until we finally place a single species on the central throne of the 

 vegetable kingdom, with the same certainty we feel in assigning to 

 man the same unquestionable superiority in the animal. The time will 

 come when this enquiry will be pushed forward with a vigour and 

 assiduity equal to that lately displayed in fixing on a central sim ; and 

 the time will also arrive, sooner or later, when the interest felt in the 

 enquiry will be at least as great. The postulates of a central tree may 

 be difficult to define ; and in this, as in all questions of the kind, we 

 must carefully weigh the evidence on every side, and we must ever 

 pay the most profound respect to those opinions of botanists which 

 have been expressed irrespective of any intention to advocate 

 particular systems : in this matter Mr. Lindley is a safe and able 

 guide. 



I find that an opinion prevails with some of the contributors to the 

 * Phytologist' that details of botanical rambles, &c. are not acceptable : 

 this opinion is erroneous ; some of the best papers in the magazine 

 may be classed under this head. An objection has certainly been 

 made to the introduction of puerilities and worn -out truisms into these 

 communications ; but I have never received the slightest criticism on 

 papers, the object of which was to detail botanical facts or observa- 

 tions. It would of course be a most ungracious task to point out 

 papers, or parts of papers, which swerv e from the path of instmction 

 and utility, but it is a pleasant one to call attention to a communica- 

 tion which may serve as a model for this kind of writing : I allude to 

 that by the Rev. W. S. Hore, entitled " A day's botanizing on the 



