South African Qxiarterly Journal. 81 



Africa. 



The South African Quarterlt/ Journal. Nos. I. and II. 8vo. Oct. 1829 to 

 April 1830. Cape Town, 1830. 



We have great pleasure in noticing this publication, as an evidence of 

 incipient improvement in a part of the world which, for some years past, 

 has been considered as retrograding rather than otherwise. Most of the 

 articles in the two Numbers which have been sent us belong to natural 

 history rather than to gardening or agriculture ; nevertheless there are 

 some well drawn up papers by our correspondent Mi*. Bowie, and a 

 variety of extracts from European works on the same subjects. There 

 is a sketch of the botany of South Africa, by Mr. Bowie, which we 

 consider particularly interesting. His object is to direct the study of 

 individuals to the study of indigenous botany ; and, in doing this, he men- 

 tions the difficulty " in the selection of species from the number of plants 

 with which we are surrounded." He prefaces a list of plants generally 

 floweruig in the months of December, January', February, and March, in 

 the Cape district, with the following remarks : — " The KmaryWidece of the 

 colony, connecting that tribe of the bulbous productions of South America, 

 Asia, and Europe with those of Africa, are striking features in the botany 

 of the Cape during the months specified. Of this tribe, however, the most 

 beautiful and interesting kinds are not found in the Cape district, nor 

 have many from the more distant parts of the colony as yet been intro- 

 duced to the flower-gardens of the Cape; and even those cultivated 

 flower but sparingly, owing to the treatment they receive. The prevailing 

 droughts during the months of December, January, February, and March 

 materially affect the vegetable productions, especially those on the lower 

 grounds : it is in such seasons that the productions of the mountains 

 shine forth in their most splendid array; and we frequently meet with 

 several plants in flower at great heights, which are equally flourishing in 

 other months on the lower grounds. The trees and shrubs of the Cape 

 are generally perfecting their seeds during the summer months ; still, how- 

 ever, there are several in blossom during that period, as their proper 

 season. 



" Among the J5^riceae, some species produce a succession of flowers for 

 several months, rendering them great and desirable ornaments for the 

 flower-garden. 



" Of the 'Pvoiedcecp, several species succeed each other in flower so 

 rapidly, that one or other of the tribe may be found in perfection at all 

 seasons. 



" Specimens of the /ridege are more or less to be met with in every 

 month of the year ; though the general season is the months of August, 

 September, and October. Many fine species of this family, flowering at 

 an earlier season, are overlooked." 



The list contains Polygaleae, 3 sp. ; Caryophyllege, 2 sp. ; ^ham- 

 nea2, 4sp. ; Telastrine, 4 sp. ; Leguminosae, 10 sp. ; i?osacea;, 4 sp. ; 

 Onagrarige, 1 sp. ; Cucurbitiiceae, 4 sp. ; i<'icoideas, 2 sp. ; Umbelliferse, 

 6 sp. ; Araliacege, 1 sp. ; Lorantheae, 3 sp. ; Dipsaceae, 4 sp. ; Composita;, 

 25 sp. ; \,6be\idcecB, 5 sp. ; Campanulacea;, 3 sp. ; ^ricete, 24 sp. ; Gen- 

 tmnea;, 2 sp. ; ^'esameae, 1 sp. ; Scrophularinae, 3 sp. ; Labiatae, 4 sp. ; 

 Terbenaceae, 5 sp. ; Orobancheae, 4 sp. ; Lentibulariae, 1 sp. ; Plumbag)nea3, 

 4 sp. ; Chenopodeae, 2 sp. ; SantaldcecB, 4 sp. ; Eu^hovhidcece, 4 sp. ; 

 CTticeae, 1 sp. ; ilfyriceas, 4 sp. ; Orchideae, 6 sp. ; /rideae, 8 sp. ; Amaryl- 

 lidece, 18 sp. ; i/emerocallideae, 5 sp. ; yisphodeleae, 28 sp. 

 - We sliall notice the gardening part of this journal more at length on 

 some futm-e occasion ; and its natural history will be examined in our 

 Magazine devoted to that branch of science. 

 Vol. VII. — No. 30. g 



