PREFACE. Vll 



het agen;" Crambe non bis sed septies repetita. Botanical 

 rambles or excursions will still have a place in the Magazine; 

 indeed of papers in extenso we have none else of a similar length 

 equally readable. But we hope to have no more series of papers 

 on the same subject ; a subject which becomes rather stale when 

 it runs through the curriculum of seven of the twelve months. 

 We hope to mend, better than sour ale in summer, and confine 

 our excursions within moderate limits. There is one contribu- 

 tion also from Scotland in our number for December 1856, 

 which we consider a good model, both as to the extent and style 

 of a magazine article. On Irish botany we have several articles, 

 which may be conscientiously recommended as being exactly 

 what we like, and which we hope will be pleasing and instruc- 

 tive to our readers. 



We do not expect new discoveries from tourists : they seldom 

 have inclination to remain long enough in one place to be able 

 to discover or to collect new facts. Resident botanists who 

 have worked the ground over and over in all seasons and for 

 many years, are the only men to whom we look for discoveries, 

 either of plants new to their district or of any information in 

 reference to the range and habitats of species already known to 

 occupy their ground. Unhappily there are but few who would 

 not rather contribute an entire Flora of their neighbourhood 

 than a few facts about the extent and altitude of certain species, 

 their rarity, or frequency, or entire absence. Yet such facts 

 would generally be more acceptable* to readers of botanical pe- 

 riodicals than long lists of plants generally are. As we have a 

 few pages filled with what are called smaller-type articles, it is 

 hoped that no one who has a fact to communicate will be de- 

 terred from sending it because it is incapable of being drawn 

 out into a lengthy communication. Like the entire community 



