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The Herbarium Committee of the Society has just issued the follow- 

 ing Address to their Fellow Members. 



The Herbarium Committee appointed by the Botanical Society of 

 London, feel themselves called upon to make one more effort to insure 

 observance of the rules which are indispensably necessary for carrying 

 out the leading object of the Society, — namely, the Exchange of 

 Specimens. The Committee regret to be under the necessity of stat- 

 ing, that several of the Contributors still habitually disregard the rules 

 laid down for their guidance. The effect of this inattention, is to in- 

 jure the good name of the Society, and also to cause so much per- 

 sonal trouble and loss of time to the resident Members, as to excite 

 serious apprehension that the Society will be compelled to suspend 

 the exchanges of British specimens, unless the present remonstrance 

 shall prove effectual in inducing a more uniform and systematic at- 

 tention to their regulations. At the same time, the Committee feel 

 bound to limit this censure, by stating that, in general, the rules are 

 much better observed by those Contributors who are most favourably 

 known as botanists ; the defaulters being chiefly among those who are 

 believed to have less acquaintance with botanical science, than many 

 of their fellow Members. This circumstance leads to a presumption, 

 that the faults arise chiefly from inexperience, and may be amended 

 by due attention to rules explicitly stated. 



On the part of the Committee, also, increased experience has shown 

 the expediency of some changes in the regulations printed on the 

 cover of the ' London Catalogue of British Plants.' It has, therefore, 

 appeared desirable to reprint the rules, in an amended form, and to 

 send a copy of them to each Member of the Society. It is not com- 

 patible with the limits of a circular intended for post, to give reasons 

 for all these rules at length. They are now the result of much expe- 

 rience and careful consideration ; and the Committee earnestly re- 

 quest a strict observance of each and all of them. Distant Members, 

 unacquainted with the routine management in London, can form no 

 estimate of the inconvenience which they may occasion by neglecting 

 one or other of these rules : the only safe and proper course, being 

 that of uniformly attending to all of them. Provided the Contributors 

 will do this (their own) duty, no reasonable exertion will be wanting 

 in London towards continuing the efficiency and increasing the use- 

 fulness of the Society. The Committee deem themselves entitled to 

 add, and they do so with confidence and gratification, that neither 

 private correspondence, nor membership of any other association, has 



