354 Recent Progress and present State of Systematic Botany. 
The thing is quite possible if mere literary compilation is in- 
tended; but something more than this is needed. 
While it would be best, and in case of a mere compilation 
even necessary, that new species should be first published else- 
where than in this desired “ Synopsis,” yet we cannot agree that, 
in any proper elaboration or digest of the species of a genus, 
“the diagnosis would be insufficient for its identification.” It 
is just here, where the new species is brought into line with its 
relatives, that the diagnosis should suffice; and if a diagnosis 
oes not serve for the new species, it may do no better for the 
old ones. Upon the form in which specific characters may best 
be cast, in a synoptical work—whether that of diagnoses, under 
sections and subdivisions, or of open descriptions, led to by an 
artificial key—we have already offered some remarks. 
Mr. Bentham proceeds to discourse of monographs of orders 
and genera, of floras or histories of the plants of particular 
countries or districts (this division ending with a loud call for 
the North American Flora), and, finally, of specific descriptions, 
detached or miscellaneous. His remarks upon the latter are 
important and timely. 
‘Had I to report only on the progress, and not on the present 
state also, of systematic botany, I should here stop; for the 
great majority of recent detached and miscellaneous descriptions 
are almost as much impediments as aids to the progress of the 
science. I have too often in my Linnean Addresses, especially 
in those of 1862 and 1871, animadverted on the mischief they 
produce, to enter now into any details; I can only lament that 
the practice continues, and is even rendered necessary by con- 
siderations not wholly scientific. Horticulturists must have 
names for their new importations. It is due to travellers who, 
under great perils and fatigues, have contributed largely to sup- 
plying us with specimens of the vegetation of distant regions, 
that the results of their labour should be speedily made known; 
it is even important to science that any new form influencing 
materially methodical arrangements should be published as soon 
of sufficient consideration in the publication of some of the spe- 
cies of Plantee Hartwegian ; id some descriptive miscellanea, 
even by men who stand very high in the science (such as Mi- 
uel’s ‘ Prolusiones,’ above referred to, and Baron von Mueller's 
‘Fragmenta ‘), are rendered comparatively useless from their 
utter want of method. Whilst, therefore, discouraging as much 
as possible all such detached publications of new species, I 
would admit their occasional necessity, but suggest the follow- 
ing rules as the result of a long practical experience :-— 
