760 



top, aud keep the sand moist. By this plan any botanist may obtain 

 roots of his favourite ferns, referring to his herbarium for a few 

 sporules, which can always be procured without damaging the speci- 

 mens. I prepared two pots of various species, one was accidentally 

 broken, and the produce of the other I mentioned above. 



When the plants are sufficiently grown, they may be removed either 

 to a Ward's case, or planted in a p<Dt and covered with a bell glass. 



Joseph Sidebotham. 



Manchester, February 5th, 1847. 



Notes on some British Specimens distributed by the Botanical Soci- 

 ety of London, in 1847. By Hewett C. Watson," Esq. 



In early Nos. of the ' Phytologist' for 1845 and 1846, the Editor 

 did me the favour to print some explanations respecting certain speci- 

 mens distributed in those years, by the Botanical Society of London. 

 The object of the notes was to convey such information and sugges- 

 tions as, it was conceived, might be acceptable to members of the 

 Society, and which could not be communicated to them on the labels 

 of the specimens. I propose again to take a similar course, and to 

 offer some explanations and remarks in reference to certain of the 

 specimens which are now being distributed. As the London Society 

 counts two himdred members (Englishmen, not foreigners), amongst 

 whom are included many of the best practical botanists of the coiui- 

 try, and is also in friendly communication with several others who 

 have not yet become members, there can be no doubt that many read- 

 ers of the 'Phytologist' are comprehended among those botanists 

 who receive specimens from London. 



1. Filago apiculata (G. E. Sm.). — The Rev. G. E. Smith kindly 

 supplied specimens of this recently described Filago (Phytol. ii. p. 

 575), which will afford to several members the opportunity of becom- 

 ing acquainted with the plant, and may thus induce them to search 

 for it in other parts of the country. There is good judgment, too, 

 and evidence of scientific good faith, in thus giving to others the 

 means of trying the validity of the characters which are proposed for 

 specific diagnosis, — qualities, unfortimately, which have not been 

 evinced by some other botanists who have described new British spe- 

 cies, but who have also sedulously avoided letting specimens thereof 

 be seen by such of their fellow-botanists as were most likely to in- 

 quire into the value or validity of their supposed species. Those 

 who receive examples of Filago apiculata, of which the supply will 



