Miscellanies, 1 6 1 



octavo. The general character of the work, so far as I have exam- 

 ined it, is correct, and highly creditable to the skill and industry of 

 the editor. I am confident it will be found to be one of the most 

 useful and satisfactory manuals, ever offered to the cultivators and 

 students of botany. Still, however, there are some inaccuracies in 

 the volume — some instances of a heedless copying of errors, or of 

 neglect to rectify them, — which ought not to have occurred at this 

 late day, and in a work of this importance. Compilers of the pres- 

 ent era, in getting up standard books, should be particularly careful 

 to eschew the blunders and vulgar errors of their predecessors, and 

 prevent the perpetuation of mistakes. This is demanded, not less 

 by the good taste of the age in which we live, than by the interests 

 of science itself. In turning over the Encyclopcedia, I noticed some 

 observations upon the derivation of sundry generic names, which 

 suggested the remarks herein annexed ; and if you think them worth 

 the space they will occupy in the miscellaneous department of your 

 excellent Journal of Science, they are entirely at your service. 



W. D. 



Westchester, Penn., August 28, 1830. 



Hone Botanica; or desultory notices of the Encyclopaedia of Plants, 

 edited by Prof. Lindley. 1829. 



Page 131. — "Logania. — Named by Mr. Brown, after a Mr. 

 James Logan, said to have been the author of some experiments 

 upon the generation of plants." We have good reason to believe 

 that there certainly was " a Mr. James Logan," once, in Pennsyl- 

 vania, who was ^^said*^ to have been a ripe and good scholar, and a 

 munificent patron of the sciences, as well as " the author of some 

 experiments upon the generation of plants." Could not Professor 

 Lindley obtain access to the Transactions of the Royal Society of 

 London, and see for himself whether Mr. Logan was not the author 

 of an interesting memoir on that subject, instead of giving the fact as 

 a doubtful say so9 The memory of James Logan is revered by 

 every lover of science and literature in America, and we think it was 

 entitled to more respectful treatment, even in England. 



Page 174. — " Pinckneya. — So named by Michaux, after some 

 American gentleman of the name of Pinckney, who is now forgot- 

 ten.^^ If Prof. L. had turned to the excellent work of Mr. Elliott, 

 on the plants of the Southern States, he might have learnt that this 

 plant was so named " in honor of Gen. Charles Cotesworth Pinckney," 



Vol. XIX.— No. 1. 21 



