90 REVIEWS. . 
Fructification.—On the back of the frond, scattered almost equally over 
the whole surface. 
Sori, or clusters of spore-cases.—Circular, small, quite destitute of 
covering, arranged in a series near the margin of the lobules, and often 
becoming confluent in lines. Where the fructification is but partially 
developed, only one or two of the lowermost veins are fertile, in which 
case the marginal series of sori is not very manifest. 
Spore-cuses.—Small, numerous, pale brown. 
Spores. —Ovate, smooth. 
Duration.—The rhizome is perennial. The fronds are annual; pro- 
duced about May, and destroyed by the early frosts of autumn. 
This ample description is followed by diagnostic observations, 
critical remarks, and valuable directions for cultivation. We 
have noticed these last in our review of the ‘ Handbook of British . 
Ferns,’ by the same author (p. 66). In fine, this splendid and 
elaborate work on one of the most interesting families of British 
plants, is specially recommended to all students of this difficult 
order, and to all cultivators of these interesting and now fashion- 
able plants, as a trustworthy authority ; we anticipate that it will 
eventually be received into the lady’s boudoir, and get a place 
among other works of art on the table of the drawing-room. 
Museum of Economic Botany ; or, a Popular Guide to the Useful 
and Remarkable Vegetable Products of the Museum of the 
Royal Gardens of Kew. By Sw W. J. Hooxer, K.H., D.C.L., 
etc., Director. 
This is a small book, but its contents are very important. 
From the vegetable kingdom (of which this well-filled treatise 
of eighty pages is an epitome) we derive most of our food, our 
clothing, the materials of our habitations, our furniture, our 
luxuries and our necessaries, all or most of our medicines, and 
most substances employed for ornament or art. All, or nearly 
all, of these are enumerated and arranged in the closely-printed 
tract on our table. All the families of plants, from that contain- 
ing the sturdy Oak, the everlasting Cedar, the rich-coloured Ma- 
hogany, the classical Laurel, the funereal Yew and Cypress, down 
to the lowly Moss, the reindeer Lichen, the perishable Fungus, 
and the destructive Dry-rot (Merulius lachrymans), are each and 
all amply represented in this catalogue. The vegetable substances 
