NOTICES GF BOOKS AND MEMOIRS. 247 



what he says about the impossibility of reaching satisfactory con- 

 clusions on matters of this kind without appealing to the aid of the 

 cultivator. In every way great pains has been taken to make the 

 work as complete as possible, and we are pleased to see from the 

 notice distributed with the last part that, although it is necessarily 

 an expensive one, but few copies still remain for disposal. There 

 are altogether seven parts, six devoted to the species and varieties 

 taken seriatim, and the last to a classified list of species, and to 

 general remarks on their history, culture, and geographical dis- 

 tribution, this last point illustrated by a map. The genus belongs 

 essentially to the north temperate zone, and is dispersed throughout 

 its area, the concentration of forms being in Japan and China in 

 the Old World, and California in the New. By this work, Mr. 

 Elwes has not only connected his name inseparably with this 

 beautiful genus, but has set an excellent example to the many 

 gentlemen of means and leisure who are interested in plant -culti- 

 vation. If they want to work so as to help Botany, by far the 

 best way to accomplish this is to make a speciality of some parti- 

 cular, or one particular set of plants, such as hybridising or fer- 

 tilisation, or Agaves, or Crocuses, or Pelargoniums, or Begonias, or 

 Irises, and work out the details with thoroughness and patience. 



J. G. B. 



The British Moss-Flora. By B. Braithwaite, M.D., F.L.S., ftc. 



Parts 1 and 2. London : published by the Author at 308, 

 Clapham Road. 



Two parts of this work, containing the three Orders, Andmacea, 

 Buxhaumiaceic, and Geor</iacea>, have been issued, uniform in size 

 and style with the author's excellent monograph of the Sphwjnaeea, 

 and we can highly commend them to the notice of our bryological 

 readers. The text is ample, and leaves nothing to be desired, 

 containing full and clear descriptions, with copious synonymy and 

 references chronologically arranged ; the plates are all that plates 

 should be, affording all necessary structural details, without the 

 unnecessary redundance which renders the magnificence of some 

 modern bryological works almost oppressive and embarrassing; 

 and the whole work shows the care and thoroughness with which 

 the author has laboured. At the same time the engraver and 

 printer have done all that could be done to give the reader a hand- 

 some as well as valuable book. . 



Of late years an increased amount of attention has been 

 bestowed by students of mosses upon the areolation or cell struc- 

 ture of the leaves, wherein are found ready and trustworthy means of 

 discrimination in the absence of the fruit so rarely produced in 

 many species. This principle receives full attention from tlie 

 author, and will doubtless be readily welcomed by students trom 

 the facility with which it will enable them to determine many a 

 barren and doubtful specimen. The reproductive system or -in- 

 florescence, on the other hand, is in nowise neglected, but its 

 division is carried out more fully and completely than hitherto, 



