1862.] ADDRESS OF THE EDITOR. 3 



relations existing between the Editor and the contribi^tors and 

 readers. Two queries have been submitted since last Midsummer, 

 and to both of these answers will now be given. The first 

 question Avas, "What will become of the ' Phy tologist ' after 

 the retirement of its publisher from all connection with the 

 publishing and bookselling business V and the second, " Are the 

 proprietors of the Magazine taking steps either to enlarge it 

 or reduce its price t" Both of these questions will be most 

 conveniently answered on the not uncommon custom of last 

 come, served first. 



It is quite true that the paper tax or duty has been recently 

 repealed ; but are our readers aware of the insignificance of one 

 penny-a-pound tax on the financial interests of the 'Phytologist?' 

 They may ascertain it from the following statement : — Twenty 

 pounds of paper will suffice for the letterpress of 240 copies of 

 the Magazine, and if the publisher received all the benefit of the 

 remission of duty, the saving would be only Is. 8cL on the 

 paper used for 240 copies ; but let the saving be estimated at a 

 couple of shillings or even half-a-crown, the gain would be say 

 2s. 6d. at the very utmost, while the loss if Id. less was charged 

 for the work, would be a pound on 240 copies ; if the price was 

 fixed at 2d. less, the loss would be two pounds ; if at 3c?. less, 

 three pounds. On 240 copies the loss would be one, or two, 

 or three pounds respectively, according as the price was reduced 

 one penny, or twopence, or threepence ; while the other side of 

 the account would show only a saving of less than a couple of 

 shillings. 



If the price were to be reduced one -half, the circulation would 

 not be materially increased : the fate of the ' Botanical Gazette^ 

 settled this, till then, doubtful point. If the ' Phytologist ' were 

 to be sold for twopence, its sale would not be greatly extended, 

 because the readers who like its contents are few. When the 

 botanists of Great Britain amount to thousands, a cheap botanical 

 periodical may exist; at present it is impossible. 



To the first question, " What will be the fate of this Magazine 

 when its publisher relinquishes his trading business ?" no very 

 precise answer can be given. Time alone can discover what will 

 be the future destiny both of books and authors in the darkness 

 of futurity. A rough guess is all that can be given to so ticklish 

 a question. 



