NOVEMBER 213 



more important than attempting to make uniform or 

 even artistic pictures. 



But to return to Maund. The letterpress follows the 

 illustrations, one page to each plant, and the following 

 characteristics are given above the drawing in every 

 case : (1) Name of country the plant comes from, (2) 

 height, (3) when it flowers, (4) duration of plant, (5) when 

 first cultivated. This gives, at a glance, a comprehensive 

 idea of the plant. There are constant allusions through 

 the book to Parkinson, Gerarde, and other old botanists. 

 The earlier plates are far superior, better drawn, and 

 more delicately coloured than those in the later volumes, 

 In the twenty-five years which were covered by the serial 

 issue of this publication the decline of flower-painting 

 marched apace. 



1814. 'Flore Medicale. Decrite par F. P. Chaume- 



ton, Docteur en M6decine. Peinte par Madame E. P 



et par P. J. F. Turpin.' This is a lovely book in eight 

 octavo volumes. The illustrations are most delicate and 

 fine, and in the Bedoute" manner. He influenced all 

 flower-painting at that time in Paris, professional as well 

 as amateur. Flower-painting only ceased to be good 

 when it was no longer considered the handmaid of 

 botany and medicine, which necessitated quite a different 

 order of merit and precision from what was required for 

 mere flower illustration for gardening purposes. One of 

 the useful and uncommon idiosyncrasies of this book is 

 that at the top of each page describing the plate the 

 name of the plant is given in seven European languages. 

 The curative properties of various medicines are named, 

 but there are, alas ! no cooking receipts. This is what 

 is said about Cardoons, the vegetable so little used in 

 England because the cooks do not know how to dress 

 it: 



' Le Cardon Cynara cardunculus dont les feuilles, 



