463 



' Catalogue of Plants found in the County of Hertford.' Over and 

 above this one general list of species for the county, it comprehends 

 twelve several Floras, which are more or less complete catalogues of 

 species, for as many different sections of the county ; also three dis- 

 tinct Floras for larger tracts, formed from the union of minor sections. 

 The list of species for one of these sections, comprising an area of 

 eighty square miles around the county town, is probably more com- 

 plete than any local Flora hitherto published ; since we find it in- 

 cluding the large number of eight hundred and two species ; while 

 the smallest sectional list rises to the respectable number of four hun- 

 dred and ninety-three species, for an area of sixty square miles. 



The full value of the ' Flora Hertfordiensis,' as a contribution to 

 geographical, as well as to strictly local botany, will not be properly 

 understood and appreciated until we can obtain other similar publi- 

 cations, on which to found statistical estimates and comparisons. 

 Some quarter of a century hence, this improved conception of a local 

 Flora may have become familiar and normal with the botanists of 

 that future period ; and possibly enough it may have been again im- 

 proved upon in some of its details. But the genuine idea is now be- 

 fore us; namely, that of rendering a local Flora truly an exposition of 

 local botany, instead of being simply a list of English plants, adapted 

 to a local space : the difference between these two things is very 

 great. But we will abstain from further remarks ourselves, and pro- 

 ceed to cull a few extracts, which may interest readers of the ' Phy- 

 tologist,' and convey a sort of sample of its contents. The plan or 

 method of the work must be studied in its own pages. 



Authorship of the Work. "The writer could wish here to state 

 that, from the period of the first announcement of the Flora, made 

 in the spring of 1840, up to the summer of 1847, his friend Mr. Cole- 

 man and himself were intimately connected in collecting information 

 for the work ; and though from the latter date until after the publi- 

 cation of Part I., his friend's co-operation was suspended, still, since 

 that stage of the work, Mr. C. has so zealously assisted him in revis- 

 ing and conducting the remainder through the press, that he cannot 

 but consider that Mr. Coleman justly holds with him the position of 

 joint-author, and would feel his disappointment very great were their 

 names not to be associated in the title page." — (R. H. W.). 



Motto suggested. " My friend Mr. Babington has just sent me the 

 following motto from Linnaeus, which is so appropriate and happy, 

 that I cannot conclude these remarks better than by commending it 

 to the consideration of my readers, hoping it may help to excite their 



