i860] A Busy Year. 119 



CHAPTER XVII. 



A BUSY YEAR. 

 [1860.] 



His hands, as he told Mr. Newton, were pretty full. He 

 had been commissioned by his friend the Rev. E. Venables, 

 of Bonchurch, to write the natural history part of that 

 gentleman's " Guide to the Isle of Wight," and only the 

 first four months of the year could be allowed for its 

 preparation. During the same time he was busy at many 

 other Papers, besides the contemplated " Pocket Flora " 

 and " Supplement to Flora Vectensis." He had begun 

 reviewing for the "Annals of Natural History," as well as 

 for the " Phytologist" ; and to the latter magazine he was 

 this year nearly the most frequent, and, in Professor 

 Babington's words, " the best, the very best, contributor." 

 Mr. Babington here referred chiefly to a series of articles 

 he wrote at the instance of Mr. Newbould, who, in a letter 

 dated February 14, asked him, " Could you not translate, 

 for the March or April ' Phytologist,' all that Boreau 

 says on pp. 152 and 354, about Erophila (Draba verna), 

 and even add his detailed descriptions ? This would set 

 several persons to work, who otherwise would be idle at this 

 time of the year. This might also be followed or accom- 

 panied by a similar notice of the plants included under 

 Viola odorata, &c., and the later flowering plants similarly 

 treated would come on well later in the year." In accord- 

 ance with this suggestion, the article, " Look after Draba 

 verna," was written for the March " Phytologist," and was 

 followed by " Viola hirta and V. odorata," " Which is 

 Ranunculus heterophyllus ?," " See to the Chickweeds," 

 " British Lepigona," and " Remarks on the Violae of the 

 Coast Sand-hills," published respectively in the April, 

 May, June, July, and October numbers. " I want to thank 

 you for what you have done for Draba : it is exactly the 



