452 MirbeVs Observations 07i Vesetatioji. 



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the genus. The contents of the first fasciculus illustrate the 

 genera of the families Coniferae, ^etulaceae, Cupuliferas, Pla- 

 tanacese, ^Salicinae. We shall now name the genera illustrated, 

 and attach to the name of each the number of the figures 

 given in illustration of it. The doing of this will enable the 

 reader to judge how elaborately the author has treated his 

 subject. Family Coniferse : genus Pinus Lk. 24 figures ; 

 genus Picea Lk. 15 figures ; ^'bies Lk. 21 ; Zarix Tourn. 19; 

 Cupressus i2/c//. 20; Thuja ^/cA. 17; Jiiniperus Z,w. 25; 

 jE'phedra Tourn. 28; Taxus Tourn. 21. Family Uetulaceae: 

 jBetula Tourn. 24 ; ^Inus Tourn. 25. Family Cupuliferae : 

 Carpinus 2o2a-w. 26; O'sirvdiMich. 16; Coryhis Li7in. 27; 

 Quercus Limi. 19; Fagus Toutm. 26; Castanea To?^rw. 20. 

 Family Platanaceae : Platanus 28. Family S'alicinae : Salix. 

 Tourn. 24; Populus Tourn. 19. The figures to each genus 

 are on one page or plate, and the descriptions invariably 

 occupy the two pages of a leaf opposite ; an arrangement 

 producing the convenience of seeing all at a view, and of 

 enabling the student of systematic botany to break up the 

 book, and place the information supplied, by the text and 

 figures, on each genus, wherever he would : this is not to 

 be accomplished when the information on distinct genera is 

 printed continuously on the same page, as is far too often 

 done in works of this nature. The figures, as a work of art, 

 are most creditably executed, and in faithfulness to nature, 

 we think, faultless. We are, it is true, not familiar with the 

 parts of fructification of every genus illustrated, but have a 

 rather intimate acquaintance with those of some of them ; and 

 as these are shown quite to our satisfaction, we conclude that 

 the whole are unexceptionable. We observe a few, very few, 

 typographical errors in the text. We are astonished at the 

 cheapness of the work, and most heartily hope that on this 

 account, and on account of its real merits, it will be most ex- 

 tensively patronised. Arboriculturists in this kingdom should 

 take the work for the sake of its elucidation of the botanical 

 characters of trees, although the number of the genera of the 

 wild trees of Germany is probably small in proportion to that 

 of the genera of other plants. The words employed in the 

 Latin descriptions are for the most part those in current use 

 in technical botany, and hence young gardeners and others a 

 little acquainted with botany and the structure of Latin will 

 be able to interpret the descriptions without difficulty. 



A Lady : General Observations on Vegetation ; translated 

 from the French of C. F. Brisseau Mirbel ; to which are 

 added numerous and extensive Notes : intended to inspire 



