8 ADDRESS OF THE EDITOR. [January, 



notice of this events and of the plant itself, see ' Phytologist/ 

 vol. V. p. 362. 



The confirmation of the genuineness of the station for Maian- 

 themum bifolium, by Mr. James Backhouse, has given much 

 satisfaction to our readers, as a final settlement of one of the 

 troublesome questions that arise about the nativity of certain 

 plants. 



The number of foreign or stray plants naturalized and semi- 

 naturalized, and hitherto unrecorded as growing spontaneously 

 in this country, is gradually increasing. We never observed so 

 many in any single year. Their names and origin, with their other 

 accidents, viz, their history, multiplicity, locality, etc., will be 

 forthcoming subjects for the coming year. For the present, it 

 is better, in this review of our annual proceedings, to enter here 

 only the prominent subjects which have been already submitted 

 to our readers. 



The list of local botanists, so long a desideratum among many 

 lovers of the innocent and useful art of simpling, is now an accom- 

 plished fact on which we have the pleasure of congratulating our 

 readers as a progressive movement in the right direction. A confi- 

 dent expectation is indulged that this is only the precursor of fur- 

 ther advances, and that their example will stimulate the botanists 

 of other counties, and especially of the South, to follow in the 

 wake of the intelligent and enterprising energetic men of Lan- 

 cashire, Yorkshire, and Cheshire; that is, give the Editor au- 

 thority to publish their names, as being willing to assist strangers 

 in their botanical researches. We hope, for the general interests 

 of humanity, which may be greatly promoted by these and simi- 

 lar pursuits, that the botanists of the north of England will in- 

 crease tenfold, and that their goodwill may never be less. 



We have very little to enter here under the head of botanical 

 publications. As usual, the most important work on vegetation 

 has been the ' Phytologist.' Sowerby's ' Wild Flowers,' and the 

 same distinguished author's work on Grasses, have been com- 

 pleted and sold, and a new edition of the ' Wild Flowers ' is now 

 issuing. Vague rumours of a re-issue of ' English Botany ' are 

 abroad, but nothing definite nor even tangible has reached us. 



The following hint is submitted to those who are fortunate 

 enough to possess a microscope, or rather, who have taste and 

 tact to make a good use of it. 



