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their abilities, and were to carry on for a few years a series of observa- 

 tions on the beginning and ending of the time of flowering of all those 

 plants that may be situated conveniently for observation in the locality 

 of each observer. In each year an observation should be recorded of 

 the earliest day the plant was observed to flower, and the latest day 

 on which it was seen in blossom, and after some years a comparison 

 of these observations would give an average day for a commencing 

 and terminating date, which might be inserted in our botanical 

 manuals thus, May 12 — July 5; instead of the vague "June and 

 July," &c, as at present. 



It is likely, however, that a considerable difference in the flowering 

 time of the same plant would be observed in distant parts of Britain ; 

 in some plants more than in others. 



A few days ago, June 20, I walked a distance of eleven miles and 

 back to obtain a specimen of buckbean [Menyanthes trofoliata), and 

 was much disappointed on reaching the spot at being unable to find 

 a single flower ; there were some flowering stems with fruit in various 

 stages of maturity. Yet in Hooker's ' British Floi*a ' and other works 

 this plant is stated to flower in June and July. 



I trouble you with these remarks in the hope that you or some 

 equally competent person may be induced to bring the subject before 

 the readers of the ' Phytologist.' 



C. D. Snooke. 



Newport, Isle of Wight, 

 July 3, 1848. 



[Our correspondent will find observations on the same subject in 

 various numbers of the ' Phytologist.' We think it one of far greater 

 interest than our leading botanical writers, i. e., Hooker and Babing- 

 ton, seem to consider it. In neither the ' British Flora ' nor ' Manual ' 

 do we find evidence of care or of personal observation in the records 

 of the time of flowering : it is our individual opinion that care and 

 personal observation are needful in every branch of the science; and 

 we have frequently wished the dates of flowering in these two works 

 wholly expunged, or, what would be perhaps still better, introduced 

 here and there from the actual observations of the writer. Why 

 should not the dates be given with a view to positive utility, instead 

 of being introduced like the numbers preceding the specific name as 

 a mere matter of form ? — Ed.] 



