182 



With regard to Dr. Bell Salter's own interesting gatherings at Sel- 

 bome, the foundation of this discussion, not having seen them, I am, 

 of course, precluded from offering an opinion on the deductions he 

 has arrived at from the examination of those particular plants. I 

 can, therefore, only express my cordial hope that, for the sake of the 

 learned and acute botanist he commemorates, that his R. Babingtonii 

 will not only be enabled to exist beyond its third or fourth year, but 

 take a permanent place in our British Flora. Yet, however we may 

 feel disposed to sport among the forty-seven species of fruticose 

 Rubi of Weihe and Nees, or be tempted ourselves to add to the com- 

 plex number, I feel persuaded that our only rational course is to be 

 guided by the vestiture of the barren stem in its fullest exposure, and so 

 group our plants hy the various distinctions thus presented, which, as I 

 have previously shown, are only seven, exclusive of E,. Idaeus, which 

 will keep us within moderate limits, and be as near a natural arrange- 

 ment as possible. 



Edwin Lees. 



Powick, near Worcester, 

 May 17, 1845. 



A few Parting Notes. By Thomas Edmondston, Esq. 



Intense occupation has, for some time back, prevented me from 

 troubling you and the readers of the ' Phytologist ' with several pa- 

 pers I had partly prepared, as I am most unexpectedly and suddenly 

 summoned to go to the west coast of America, no time remaining to 

 put them into the meditated form ; but before I go I shall have one 

 parting shot, and briefly notice two or three subjects. 



First, then, relative to a discussion on Botanical Classification, be- 

 tween Dr. Ayres and myself. I trust my friend. Dr. A., will not 

 think me uncourteous in not having answered his last paper. Neither 

 do I wish your readers to consider me beat ; the fact is, that I did 

 not, owing to a blunder of my bookseller's, receive the number of 

 'The Phytologist' containing his last letter till several months after 

 its publication, and when I was extremely engaged about matters 

 which brooked no delay ; and, as I thought there was little chance of 

 one converting the other, I judged it then better to be silent, at least 

 for a time. It was, perhaps, injudicious in me to have started such a 

 very controversial point ; yet I must say that nothing Dr. Ayres has 

 said can be considered as at all militating against my position, if it be 

 borne in mind that I merely advocate an " artificial " system as an 



