2 ADDRESS OF THE EDITOR. [January, 



future — the agenda, the things to be done, ^^epreseiit, which will 

 soon be a part of the past^ is included in the term future ; and 

 the present communication or programme is a statement of what 

 he, the Editor, wishes to do, or to get done, for British Botany 

 dm-ing the present or current year, which is the opportunity for 

 usefulness, the time for work and labour to be done by all who 

 have work to do, and time and skill for doing it. But he, the 

 Editor of this Journal, could not expect the Contributors to the 

 last volume to co-operate with him in his endeavours to promote 

 the science in question, unless he showed that he is sensible of 

 realized favours— memor beneficiorum. He begs to assure each 

 and all who contributed to the last issued volume of the ' Phy- 

 tologist' that he is deeply indebted to them for their kind and 

 eflPective and disinterested assistance. He cordially and sincerely 

 offers this public acknowledgment, and regrets that he cannot 

 afford more substantial proofs of his obligations and gratitude. 

 He further hopes that those who have sent communications that 

 have not yet appeared in print mil have patience with him. 

 Every article hitherto sent for insertion in the ' Phytologist' 

 would have been published in its pages if space had admitted ; 

 and it is to be hoped that every article in the Editor^s possession 

 will ultimately be so printed. Chacun a son tour. 



In reference to the proceedings or progress of the current year, 

 there are three topics on which the Editor desires briefly to com- 

 municate with the readers of, but especially with the contributors 

 to, the periodical for which he is responsible. 



In the first place, he is anxious to get as complete a list as pos- 

 sible of common plants. The list published in May, 1856, must 

 be considerably curtailed : it was originally drawn up rather too 

 comprehensively, with the view of subsequently modifying it on 

 further observations and by the help of communications. Several 

 facts have been noted, and some communications have been re- 

 ceived, which will help the Editor in determining what are com- 

 mon and what are not common plants. There is one list of com- 

 mon plants received from a contributor which he thinks it will 

 be advisable to print in extenso ; but he hopes and wishes that 

 all contributors who have any information to communicate on 

 the subject of common plants Avill confine themselves to either of 

 the two lists, i. e. the list of May, 1856, or the list subsequently 

 to be published. This course is suggested by obvious reasons. 



