FLORA OF JAPAN. 37 



from the crabbed Latin in which they were written." Mr. 

 Harvey then conceived the idea of writing a Flora Capensis ; 

 but it at once occurring that such a work must consume a 

 long series of years in preparation, he decided upon rendering 

 that more promj^t, though less complete assistance, which a 

 work like the present is calculated to afford. '' The Genera 

 of South African Plants " is the result of this determination ; 

 for which the author deserves the thanks, not only of the lady 

 friends whose benefit he had chiefly in view, but of all the 

 cultivators of botanical science. Although much more time 

 would be required for its preparation, the work would have 

 been more valuable had Mr. Harvey placed still less de- 

 pendence on preceding authors, and drawn his characters, in 

 every practicable instance, from the plants themselves ; but 

 only those who are accustomed to prepare their works in this 

 manner are aware of the vast amount of labor it involves. 

 The general plan of the work, as the author informs us, is 

 taken from Beck's "Botany of the Northern and Middle 

 States of North America," and Nuttall's " Genera of North 

 American Plants " ; in the arrangement and characters of the 

 orders. Dr. Arnott has chiefly been followed. The number 

 of genera described is 1086, distributed under 135 orders. 

 Many South African genera have been published in still more 

 recent general works or particular memoirs, or in those which 

 have not reached the Cape in time to be employed by Mr. 

 Harvey, so that the number of Cape genera may be safely 

 estimated at 1200. 



SIEBOLD'S FLORA OF JAPAN. 



This work ^ is, we believe, wholly arranged and prepared 

 by Professor Zuccarini of Munich, from notes and specimens 

 furnished by Dr. Siebold of Leyden, accumulated during his 



1 Flora Japonica. Sectio prima, Plantse oruatui vel usui inservientes, 

 digessit Dr. J. G. Zuccarini. Fasc. 1-10. Leyden, 1835-39. (American 

 Journal of Science and Arts, xxxix. 175.) 



