IV PREFACE. 



That readers have increased (probably a hundredfold), is 

 proved by the success of the Penny Literature, as it may be 

 called, viz. the penny daily and weekly newspapers, and the 

 many useful and popular miscellanies, filled up with facts, 

 fancies and fiction, which have obtained, and deserve to have, 

 an immense circulation. 



Several of our readers, who do not know how few copies we 

 sell, are a-stonished at our cupidity, and compare two sheets of 

 letterpress, at the high price of a shilling, with such publications 

 as the ' Literary Times,' ' St. Paul's,' ' Bow Bells,' etc., where as 

 much or more matter is sold for a penny, forgetting that there are 

 hundreds of thousands of purchasers of the latter, and only 2i,few 

 of the former. But the trade, and even some of the purchasers, 

 grumble at the Proprietors for not reducing the price of their 

 periodical, as if cheapness were the sole cause of an extensive 

 currency. It may reasonably be doubted whether we could get 

 a thousand readers, even if the magazine were circulated gratis. 

 These may reasonably complain of the price, but it is certain 

 that they will not envy the financial returns, viz. the state of 

 the exchequer. 



Those who are inclined to believe that the publication of the 

 ' Phytologist' is remunerative as a trading investment, should 

 ask the printers how many copies pass through their hands, and 

 also get from the same firm the bill of costs. The accounts of 

 expenditure and income will show that both Publisher and 

 Editor have not only bestowed their time and talents gratui- 

 tously, but have been, out of pocket besides. However, as they 

 never anticipated a profit, they have not been disappointed ; and 

 the little loss incurred has been repaid a hundredfold in the 

 pleasure of getting so much information, goodwill, and cheerful 

 co-operation in our well-meant endeavours to popularize our 

 favourite science. 



That a considerable reduction of the price would have had 

 much effect in increasing the sale of our Journal, cannot be en- 

 tertained by those who remember the premature extinction of 

 the ' Phytologist' s' only formidable rival. This latter was sup- 

 ported by all the available talent and influence of the scientific 

 botanists of Britain ; and after struggling a couple of years, and 



