410 X.- GENERAL REMARKS. 



In the first table, tlie first column enumerates the 28 

 predominant orders for the vegetable kingdom in general, 

 according to present estimates ; the second does the same 

 for those of Europe, according to Nyman's Sylloge ; the 

 third column in return repeats those for Britain. The 

 consecutive nos. prefixed to the first column may avail 

 for comparisons between that column and the other two. 

 If the name of an order stands higher in the first or 

 second column, than the same name is placed in the third 

 column, that order may be deemed relatively deficient, or 

 weak numerically, in this country. On the contrary, if 

 the name is placed higher in the third column, than it 

 stands in the first or second, that order is relatively in 

 excess in this country. If the name of one order is 

 repeated in the same place for two or three columns, the 

 order may be considered as keeping the same relative 

 position in the flora ; for instance, Compositce stand no. 1 

 in all three columns ; and it is the only order which does 

 stand on equality in all. Leguminiferce are no. 2 in the 

 first and second columns ; but these plants are exchanged 

 for Gramina in the third column. It is not to be over- 

 looked, however, that the orders for the earth generally 

 are more than double those for Britain, and the orders 

 for Europe also considerably exceed the latter in number. 

 To a certain extent, this may be considered to make 

 direct comparisons between the several columns inexact 

 or fallacious. 



In the second table, Middle Europe and Scandinavia 

 are substituted for the earth and all Europe, with a view 

 of bringing out a similar floral comparison between this 

 island and neighbouring portions of the European conti- 

 nent. Middle Europe will be understood to include 

 France, Germany, and Switzerland ; the ordinal numbers 

 being founded on Lamotte's ' Catalogue,' with the exclu- 



