487 



obtained in the. ordinary routine of applying for desiderata by check- 

 ing their names in a ' London Catalogue.' 



Error. Mr. Dennes informs me that through some mischance a 

 part of the labels written for Siura latifolium, in 1847-8, were attach- 

 ed to specimens of Cicuta virosa. Those members who received 

 specimens of the former, according to labels, should make sure that 

 they have not got the rarer Cicuta instead. I think the specimens 

 were from Norfolk. 



Foreign Specimens. In concluding my notes on the Society's dis- 

 tribution of British plants in the the current year, I may append a 

 recommendation that any of the members who desire foreign plants, 

 European or exotic, should apply to me by post letter at an early 

 date. Hitherto the foreign specimens have been labelled and distri- 

 buted almost solely by myself. But I fear this must be the last year 

 of my doing that troublesome work. And if I judge of the future by 

 the past, few members will get any foreign plants after I cease to look 

 to them. I should, however, observe that a year or a year and a half 

 ago, Mr. Henfrey commenced to label a numerous and beautifully 

 dried collection of United States plants ; but I am not aware that 

 any of these have yet been distributed to members, though many of 

 them have been labelled by Mr. Henfrey for that purpose. Like 

 many other specimens, these Americans remained for several years in 

 the Society's rooms, unseen and unuseful. Indeed, it appears to 

 have been the rule of conduct in Bedford Street to shut up foreign 

 specimens in boxes and cupboards, useless to every body, until de- 

 stroyed by insects. I have myself rescued and distributed a good 

 number of them ; but still many remain, doomed to destruction by 

 vermin, without being of the smallest use to any body. A very large 

 mass of foreign specimens has also been set aside, and is now stowed 

 away in cupboards, ostensibly in order to constitute a general 

 herbarium. But these are totally inaccessible for use and reference, 

 and will probably be destroyed by insects in the lapse of time. The 

 Botanical Society of London cannot command the pecuniary funds, 

 or the skilled labour, which would be required to make a general 

 herbarium of reference ; and yet the exchanges and distributions 

 have been much impeded by the unwise attempts to effect this and 

 other objects, which there is neither money nor resident knowledge 

 adequate to accomplish. I should recommend some five and twenty 

 or fifty English botanists, really and selectly such, to form themselves 

 into an exchanging club, apart from both Botanical Societies ; es- 

 chewing herbaria, libraries, meetings for discussion, and such like 



